Ricoh GR II on the Horizon

A new "pro compact" is coming

By PF Rumors in Pentax Rumors on Jun 6, 2015

Ricoh has been refreshing its flagship compact— the Ricoh GR— every other year for nearly the past decade. As GR stock starts running thin at retailers and now that 25 months have passed since the announcement of the current GR, buzz surrounding the inevitable launch of a successor is growing.

According to Pentax Forums discussions and information posted on Japanese news site Digicame-Info, the upcoming Ricoh GR II will feature Wi-Fi and a touchscreen. The new model will use the same sensor and lens as the current GR. A leaked photo of the GR II shows a slight variation in the GR II's hotshoe area:

Ricoh GR vs GR II: Comparison

The Ricoh GR has received widespread praise as a professional-grade compact camera. It packs an APS-C sensor, extensive customizability, and a sharp 18mm F2.8 lens in a lightweight, pocketable body. All this results in image quality comparable to that of a high-end DSLR. Learn more about it in our Ricoh GR in-depth review.

Currently, the GR is Ricoh Imaging's exclusive offering in the high-end compact digital camera market. No large-sensor Pentax-branded compacts are currently available.

We expect the GR II to be launched within the coming weeks.