As of late 2025, Eric Kim has not published a hands-on review or social-media comment on the new Ricoh GR IV. His website does list the GR IV’s announcement and specs (it was announced August 20, 2025 ), but no personal impressions or comparisons appear. To gauge his likely views, we must rely on Kim’s extensive past commentary on Ricoh GR cameras and his known philosophy for street photography gear. In those writings he repeatedly praises the GR line’s core strengths – extreme portability, image quality, and speed – while deliberately sacrificing complexity (EVFs, 4K, etc.) in favor of pure shooting discipline .
Eric Kim often shoots candid street scenes in high-contrast black and white (e.g. Rio de Janeiro, 2019). His praise of the GR series reflects this style: they are small, discrete cameras that let him “draw with light” without missing a moment. In a 2013 review he called the Ricoh GRD (digital) series “hands-down the best bang-for-the-buck digital camera for street photography,” citing its “compact size, superb image quality and high-ISO performance” and ease of handling . In 2019 he went further, declaring the GR III “the best camera ever made,” lauding its new high-contrast monochrome JPEG mode and blazing responsiveness (he “has not missed any photographs” thanks to its speed) . In short, Kim admires how GR cameras free him to focus on the decisive moment. He emphasizes that the fixed 28 mm prime forces you to move and train your eye, turning limitations into creative discipline. (He even titles one essay “GR III is the Best” and another “JUST BUY RICOH GR IIIX”, praising their optics and performance .)
Key takeaways from Kim’s past GR commentary include:
- Compact, pocketable design. He repeatedly notes that a GR camera “literally fits in your front pocket”, letting him carry it everywhere . He calls the 28 mm GR “the best bang-for-the-buck street camera” for this reason .
- High image quality. He highlights the GR’s large APS-C sensor and lens for sharp, rich images. For example, he praises the new GR IIIx for “superior optics and image quality, sharpness, contrast [and] dynamic range” and loves the GR III’s built-in monochrome JPEG mode (saying its B+W output looks “as beautiful as…film” ).
- Fast responsiveness. Speed is critical: he notes the GR cameras turn on almost instantly and focus lightning-fast. He reports that with the GR III he has “not missed any [decisive] photographs thus far,” calling the camera “incredibly fast, [with] accurate autofocus” . The new GR IV continues this, with a quoted 0.6 s startup and added Snap-Focus modes for hip-firing, features he would appreciate on the streets .
- Simplicity (one camera, one lens). Kim lives by a “one camera, one lens” rule . He argues that “simpler is better” – the fewer settings and gear, the more you shoot. He advises using a simple fixed-lens camera to “maximize your photographic and artistic output”, noting “the more photos you shoot, the better!” . The GR’s minimal controls and fixed 28 mm align perfectly with this philosophy.
In practice, Kim’s street-photography toolkit has been centered on Ricoh GRs for precisely these reasons. For example, he often carries just a GR camera on a wrist or neck strap so that he is always ready for a street moment . In his words: “I have always been a Ricoh fanboy… The compact size (that fit into my front jean pocket), the quickness of it… and intuitive controls made it an ideal solution for street photography” . He even contrasts the GR to rangefinders, saying that nothing beats the convenience of a compact for candid shooting . This attitude would carry over to the GR IV: its strengths (28 mm view, pocketable magnesium body, 5-axis IBIS, etc.) match exactly what he has championed.
Kim has not explicitly discussed the GR IV’s weaknesses, but his general approach suggests he tolerates such trade-offs. The new GR IV overview on his site does list drawbacks – no built-in viewfinder or tilting screen, no 4K video, and a ~250-shot battery – but these align with the GR’s legacy of simplicity and stealth. Given his previous comments, he likely expects to trade those features for unobtrusiveness and pure shooting focus. (For context, reviewers have noted these limitations, but he seldom dwells on them. Instead, his praise makes clear he values decisiveness and portability above all .)
In sum, Eric Kim’s perspective on the GR IV – inferred from his past remarks – is that it remains a refined, pocketable street camera. Its 28 mm prime, fast operation, and high-quality output fit his ideal street tool. He would likely emphasize carrying it daily to keep one’s eye sharp (aligning with his motto “Always carry a camera”) and using it as a creative discipline. As he puts it elsewhere, choosing a camera like the GR (with its larger APS-C sensor) over a smartphone is about “awaken[ing]” one’s vision and reclaiming focus . In practice, Kim’s GR commentary suggests: use it to shoot more, not chase specs – “simplify, shoot a lot, and see what you notice.”
Sources: Eric Kim’s own blog posts (reviews and gear guides) on the Ricoh GR series , which outline his real-world experiences and philosophy with the cameras. (No public commentary on the GR IV specifically was found.)