Horse for courses, I guess. But all the GR cameras are expensive for what they are. Still very interesting, though. The built-in red filter is a nice touch.
DougVaughn wrote:
I was expecting $1,700 to $1,800.
helimat wrote:
It would be closer to that without tariffs.
I checked Map Camera in Japan. Pre-tax price (if you were a tourist visiting) is JPY 232,200 which is about USD 1,465.
By design, monochrome cameras are not meant for most photographers, but for a very narrow slice of the market. What I am curious about is how sales will actually go. The U.S. price seems to sit in an uncomfortable middle ground: too expensive for casual shooters, yet not prestigious or expensive enough to be a true luxury collectible like Leica’s offerings. Could Ricoh’s pricing decisions, combined with U.S. tariffs, have made that narrow slice too thin?
George Komiotis wrote:
By design, monochrome cameras are not meant for most photographers, but for a very narrow slice of the market. What I am curious about is how sales will actually go. The U.S. price seems to sit in an uncomfortable middle ground: too expensive for casual shooters, yet not prestigious or expensive enough to be a true luxury collectible like Leica’s offerings. Could Ricoh’s pricing decisions, combined with U.S. tariffs, have made that narrow slice too thin?
I think many, many buyers (probably most) will be Japan-based. I suspect Ricoh has done the market research and will produce enough cameras to meet demand and make a profit. As you state, a monochrome-only camera is very niche, especially because many photographers are satisfied simply converting color to b&w. For photographers for whom, for whatever reason, only a monochrome sensor will do, the price is high but not compared to a Leica. For me, the Ricoh GR series is the best compact digital camera I've ever used.
I think even at its higher price point, it's scratching a b/w itch for some people and will fly off the shelf. However, if size/weight/price aren't an issue, the Q3M will scratch that itch quite well.
brick33308 wrote:
I think even at its higher price point, it's scratching a b/w itch for some people and will fly off the shelf. However, if size/weight/price aren't an issue, the Q3M will scratch that itch quite well.
The pocket-ability of the Ricohs is not to be underestimated.
They never draw attention.
Their image quality is fantastic.
Personally, I don’t need or really want a monochrome version (been there, done that) but I wouldn’t be without a Ricoh GRIII or GRIIIx.
Comparing the two, I'm curious if the sensor output is actually going to be that much better than the normal Ricoh GRIV? I know the Leica Q2M files seemed to be sharper than the Q2 in Mono, maybe that's the case here? Nonetheless, it should be $100-$200 premium over the original not an extra $600-$800...
helimat wrote:
It would be closer to that without tariffs.
Yes, America has taken a completely different course than the rest of the free world lately. That comes at a price. We non-Americans can neither understand this radical change of course, nor do we (fortunately) have to pay for it.
Regarding the camera: I have the GRIIIx and I like it very much. Perhaps a 43mm version of the monochrome version will be released anytime soon? And: I hope for a GR with viewfinder one day.
ZacP wrote:
Yeah, the price is bonkers. You could justify a $100-$200 premium over the standard GR IV, but this is insane. The plain jane GR IV does monochrome just fine...
not sure, those highlights look quite clipped.... great images though.
AndrewNYC wrote:
Red filter means less broadly applicable use of that filter. Wish it had been a yellow.
I agree. The red filter is very specialized, and yellow is the more general and optimal choice. Even orange does not look that great on skin tones. That said, Ricoh may not be aiming for subtlety when pressing that red filter button. They probably want the effect to be obvious and extreme, similar to how their HDF setting is not subtle either.
Malabito wrote:
not sure, those highlights look quite clipped.... great images though.
Thanks! These were intentionally processed with a high contrast (think Daido Moriyama) aesthetic. The straight RAWs out of camera don't have any clipping issues.
The price is too high for comfort at least in the US, but this still seems compelling, particularly if you want a pocket sized low light beast. GRIV reviews mention the new lens’s glowy character, so potentially a very nice little package.
