The Ultimate Stealth Kit: Ricoh GR IV Accessories

The Ricoh GR IV is the closest thing to a “perfect” street camera. It’s designed to be invisible, allowing you to capture moments without the intrusion of a massive lens or a flashy brand logo.

My approach to the GR IV differs from my Fujifilm X100VI setup. Here, every gram matters. I want a setup that fits in a jacket pocket but handles like a professional tool. Below is my “Minimalist Stealth Kit”—the exact accessories to solve the GR’s quirks (like battery life and sensor dust) while keeping it the ultimate pocket rocket.

What’s New for the GR IV?

If you are upgrading from the GR III, your kit needs to change. Here are the three major hardware shifts that you need to know to ensure you’re using the best accessories:

Fast Charging via USB-C: The IV supports higher-power charging. If you want to charge in-camera, you’ll need a modern GaN charger or a high-speed PD power bank.

The DB-120 Battery: Ricoh has finally given us more capacity. The new DB-120 offers about 25% more life, but it also means your old GR III chargers won’t fit perfectly.

The Move to MicroSD: Unlike the previous generations, the GR IV now uses MicroSD Express cards. Don’t mistakenly buy the larger SD cards.

1. Screen Protectors

Because the GR IV is designed to be tossed into a pocket, the rear LCD is highly susceptible to “pocket lint” scratches and key marks. I always install a glass protector before my first outing.

• ULBTER 9H Tempered Glass: These are my go-to tempered glass options. They are 0.3mm thick and don’t interfere with the touch-screen sensitivity, which is vital for the GR’s “Touch AF” system – Amazon

2. The “Must-Have” Battery Setup

If there is one “flaw” with the Ricoh GR series, it’s the battery life. The GR IV is powerful but thirsty.

• Official Ricoh DB-120: I always recommend owning at least two official batteries for critical days. The new DB-1201 800 mAh is a higher-capacity battery for the GR IV (25% higher than the DB-110 used in the previous generation) – Amazon

Street Tip: Turn on “Outdoor View Setting” and map it to your Fn button. It helps you quickly boost brightness without diving into menus, though it will eat your battery faster!

Charging Tip: The GRIV now supports fast charging, so make sure you have a compatible wall adapter or portable charger (or walking charger, as my kids call them) if you want to charge the camera directly.

3. Finger Grips & Hand Straps

The Ricoh GR IV is all about one-handed operation. To prevent the camera from slipping, security is key.

• JJC Thumbs Up Grip: Because the GR IV is so small, a thumb grip in the hot shoe provides a much more secure “pinch” when shooting one-handed – Amazon
• Peak Design Wrist Strap or Artisan & Artist: I generally like using the Peak Design wrist straps for my smaller cameras, but there are now smaller, lighter straps from other brands that use the same attachment system. As a warning: The Peak Design anchor system is a very tight fit on the GRIV, so it takes a lot of work to get these through the eyets. Buy them at your own risk. You probably want to use dental floss to pull it through. Otherwise, grab a wrist strap with a smaller anchor by Gordy or Artisan & Artist – Peak Design Cuff – Amazon
• Gordy’s Camera Strap – Very popular for their thin leather fixed-wrist straps that match Ricoh’s aesthetic – Gordy’s

4. Lens Protection & UV Adapter kits

The GR series is known for attracting “sensor dust” due to its extended lens design, especially since it lives in most people’s pockets. Having a filter attachment or lens cap helps keep dust out of the lens compartment.

• Ricoh GA-3 Lens Adapter: This allows you to attach a 49mm filter to the GRIV, or the GW-2 Tele-conversion lens – Amazon
• NiSi Professional Filter Kit: Specifically made for the GR series, this simple adapter allows the use of 49mm filters – Amazon
• JJC Lens Cap: This removable lens cap helps keep dust out of your lens when it’s stored in your bag or pocket – Amazon

5. Diffusion: That Street Glow

To take the digital edge off Ricoh’s incredibly sharp sensor, I love using a subtle filter. See the diffusion filter comparisons.

• CineBloom 10%, Glimmerglass 1/4 or Black Pro Mist 1/8: The Ricoh sensor is almost too sharp for some portraits. A 1/4 Glimmerglass adds a beautiful “glow” to highlights in night street photography without ruining the pocketable form factor (when used with the GA-3 adapter).
  
  Here are a few of the most popular diffusion filters. The trend of using a Glimmerglass 1 is mostly dead now. It was dumb; I never recommended it. About 1/4 is what you want with a Glimmerglass. Cinebloom, you can do 5% or 10%; Black Pro Mist, you can do 1/8 or 1/4. Use stronger for the day, weaker at night.
  
  Use 49mm Filters.
• Cinebloom 10% – Amazon
• Glimmerglass 1/4 – Amazon
• Black Pro Mist 1/8 – Amazon

6. Street Photography Bags

You don’t need a “camera bag” for a Ricoh. You need a “pouch.”

• Ricoh GC-12 Soft Case: The official leather sleeve is excellent. It’s high quality and keeps the camera slim – Amazon
• Peak Design Field Pouch: If you want to carry your extra batteries, filters, and the camera in one spot, this is the perfect size to throw into a larger backpack – Amazon
  
  If you want something smaller, grab one of the Think Tank Mirrorless Mover Bags. The Mirrorless Mover 5 or 10 is perfect for this camera.

7. Memory Cards

If you’re a street photographer, you likely live in “Snap Focus” mode. To keep the camera responsive during high-speed bursts, you won’t want to bottleneck the system with a slow card.

I’ve run speed tests on the new microSD Express architecture to see which cards actually perform the fastest. In my Full Ricoh GR IV Memory Card Guide, I break down the benchmarks for the latest MicroSD cards to help you choose a card that won’t leave you staring at a “Busy” light while the decisive moment passes.

Final Thoughts on the GR IV Setup

At the end of the day, the Ricoh GR IV is designed to be a tool that stays out of your way. Whether you decide to go with a full leather half-case or keep it completely naked with just a wrist strap, the goal is to keep the camera ready for that next decisive moment.

What’s in your bag? I’m always on the lookout for new minimalist gear. If you’ve found a thumb grip or a specific GaN charger that works perfectly with the IV, let me know in the comments below!