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With pocket camera popularity on the rise, Ricoh has announced the GR IV, an updated version of its excellent, diminutive (and quite old) GR III. It’s a fixed-lens camera that can easily fit in a pocket, but inside is a big APS-C image sensor — far larger than what you can get in a phone. Larger image sensors typically mean better image quality compared to smaller sensors.

I really liked the GR III and picked it as the best point-and-shoot camera for travel. The images it captured were better, especially in low light, than most of the other small cameras I tested. However, it felt quite dated. The new GR IV, on paper at least, seems to improve on many of the GR III’s more aged aspects but keeps the vast majority of the camera the same. That’s generally a good thing.

Big sensor, little camera 

• 25.7-megapixel images (6,192×4,128)
• 18.3mm f/2.8 lens (28mm in 35mm equivalent)
• 1080p/60 video
• 5-axis image stabilization
• Faster startup compared to previous GR cameras (claimed to be 0.6 seconds)
• Built-in ND filter (2 stops)
• 53GB internal storage (also microSD)
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3

The two benefits of the GR III and its predecessors carry over to the GR IV: It’s an extremely small camera with a big image sensor. The body is 4.3 by 2.4 by 1.3 inches, which is roughly the same width as a smartphone, thicker but shorter. It should fit easily in most pockets. The IV is very slightly smaller than the GR III. 

Again, inside is a new APS-C-sized image sensor, though it’s the same size used in the GR III and basically the same resolution. Ricoh says it has “higher sensitivity and reduced noise” compared to the sensor in the GR III. It would have been great to see a higher-resolution sensor, allowing for more detail when cropping in on an image, considering the GR IV has a fixed, wide-angle lens. 

That lens is an all-new design, with an 18.3mm focal length (equivalent to 28mm). That matches the GR III, as does its f2.8 aperture. This is on the narrow end of what’s typically considered a wide-angle lens, but it’s similar to the field of view of the main cameras on most smartphones. Ricoh says the lens’s glass elements allow for “edge-to-edge sharpness.”

The GR IV has 5-axis shake reduction, up from 3-axis on the GR III, to help reduce blurriness during longer shutter speeds. Ricoh says this offers up to six stops of stabilization. This, along with the higher sensitivity of the image sensor, could mean the GR IV does really well in low light.

Along with the launch of the GR IV, Ricoh has announced several accessories, most notably a compact flash that connects via the hot shoe on top of the camera. After years of cameras trying to reduce the need for flashes, the resurgence of retro digital cameras and their aesthetic is bringing them back. Additionally, there will be some cosmetic alternatives, including a metal hot shoe cover, plus a wrist strap (pictured in the top image) and a lens adapter to fit the GW-4 wide conversion lens that’s currently available for the GR III.

Should you wait for the GR IV?

On paper, the updates to the GR IV seem fairly mild. Same overall design, same resolution, same focal length. However, there’s definitely an “if ain’t broke, don’t fix it” aspect to all of that. The GR III worked great, creating high-quality images in a pocket-size camera. It’s often said the best camera is the one you have with you, and it was very easy to have the GR III with you.

The new lens, image sensor and stabilization could be solid upgrades. I won’t know until I test the GR IV (likely next month when it launches). I’m a little disappointed it’s not higher resolution. That’s not a huge deal, but I’ve been using a fixed-lens camera for several months now as my main camera, and being able to crop in on the 40MP images has come in handy. Then again, if I were in a situation where I wanted to capture something in the distance, I’d usually just use the telephoto on my Pixel 9 Pro. 

If you’re interested in a GR camera, I’d recommend waiting a few weeks if you can. Either the GR IV will be a worthy upgrade and worth getting, or it will just be a minor improvement and the older, and likely cheaper, GR III will be the better option. The Ricoh GR IV will be available in mid-September for $1,500.

SAVE $20: As of Aug. 20, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $39.99 at Amazon. This is $20 off its list price of $59.99.

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If you’ve been looking to upgrade your streaming setup to enjoy all of the new shows and films dropping on streaming services in high-quality 4K, Amazon is here to make your day. The retailer is offering discounts on all its streaming sticks right now, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which is down to $39.99.

This is 33% off its list price of $59.99, offering a nice $20 discount. This Fire TV Stick 4K Max offer is currently marked as a limited-time deal, so it’s a good idea to jump on it now before the discount disappears.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers twice the storage of its standard 4K counterpart with 16GB instead of 8GB. It also supports 4K Ultra HD resolution alongside support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos audio as an extra treat for your eyes and ears. On top of that, it’s also the first-ever streaming stick to have the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which allows you to display art and photography when you’re not watching something.

Mashable Deals

There’s no better time than now to grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Or alternatively, get the Fire TV Stick 4K on sale right now at Amazon.

Ricoh is launching its GR IV compact camera in mid-September for $1,499.95, accompanied by a tiny new GF-2 add-on flash for $119.95. As initially announced in May, the GR IV will feature a 26-megapixel APS-C sensor, slightly redesigned 28mm-equivalent f/2.8 lens, new autofocus and stabilization systems, and 53GB of built-in storage to supplement its microSD card slot.

It’s been over six years since the first incarnation of the GR III launched, back in 2019, with just the GR IIIx and HDF variants following since then. The much anticipated sequel camera follows in the footprints of its predecessor with an ultra-compact body and lens combo that’s ideal for street photography and everyday picture-taking.

If you’re more familiar with Fujifilm’s wildly popular X100VI than a Ricoh GR, the Ricoh is an even more compact take on a similar formula — one you can fit into a pocket. The GR IV has the same size sensor but with a more modest resolution, a slightly wider lens than an X100, a slower f/2.8 aperture, and no viewfinder (GR cameras rely on the rear screen for composition, or an old-fashioned optical finder you mount on top).

That’s all par for the course with previous GR cameras too. Though, one way the GR III set itself apart from Fujifilm was a sub-$1,000 price when it launched in 2019. The new GR IV will sell for $600 more than that — and $350 more than the most recent GR III variant.

Many cameras from the likes of Fujifilm, Nikon, Canon, and more have gone up in price this year due to US tariffs. Among the hardcore photo crowd, the Ricoh GR line was known for being the affordable option of fixed focal-length street cameras. They obviously weren’t impulse-buy territory, but they were cheaper than an X100 and much cheaper than any Leica Q. Now, with the GR IV at $1,500 and X100VI running $1,800 (and possibly climbing higher) this style of camera feels like a much pricier affair.

Google is bringing a bundle of new features to Gemini Live, its AI assistant that you can have real-time conversations with. Next week, Gemini Live will be able to highlight things directly on your screen while sharing your camera, making it easier for the AI assistant to point out a specific item.

If you’re trying to find the right tool for a project, for example, you can point your smartphone’s camera at a collection of tools, and Gemini Live will highlight the correct one on your screen. This feature will be available on the newly announced Pixel 10 devices when they launch on August 28th. Google will begin rolling out visual guidance to other Android devices at the same time before expanding to iOS “in the coming weeks.”

Google is also launching new integrations that will soon allow Gemini Live to interact with more apps, including Messages, Phone, and Clock. Say you’re in the middle of a conversation with Gemini about directions to your destination, but you realize you’re running late. Google says you’ll be able to interrupt the chatbot with something like: “This route looks good. Now, send a message to Alex that I’m running about 10 minutes late.” From there, Google can draft a text to your friend for you.

Lastly, Google is launching an updated audio model for Gemini Live that the company says will “dramatically improve” how the chatbot “uses the key elements of human speech, like intonation, rhythm and pitch.” Soon, Gemini will change its tone based on what you’re speaking about, such as using a calmer voice if you’re asking about a stressful topic.

You’ll also be able to change how fast — or slow — Gemini talks, which sounds a bit similar to how users can now tweak the style of ChatGPT’s voice mode. And, if you ask Gemini for a dramatic retelling of a story from the perspective of a particular character or historical figure, the chatbot may adopt an accent for a “rich, engaging narrative.”

Lower dose-averaged linear energy transfer (LET) within the clinical tumor volume (CTV) was associated with worse local control in patients being treated with carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) for inoperable pancreatic cancer, according to findings from a single-institution retrospective trial published in International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics.

According to the findings, dose-averaged CTV minimum had a significant effect on local recurrence (P = .023). Additionally, according to the cutoff value determined by a time-dependent Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, which included a 5-fold cross-validation that differentiated patients with local recurrence from tumor local control, patients with low CTV minimum had a significantly higher cumulative local recurrence rate vs those with a higher CTV minimum (P = .03). Furthermore, the respective 2-year cumulative local recurrence rates were 32.4% (95% CI, 16.6%-49.3%) vs 12.7% (95% CI, 5.8%-22.5%) between the 2 groups.

Cause-specific proportional hazard models identified dose-averaged CTV minimum as the only significant predictor of local recurrence (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.71-0.98; P = .03) among all parameters examined. Furthermore, assessed parameters included CTV minimum dose, CTV volume, baseline CA19-9 levels, adjuvant chemotherapy, and nodal stage.

Additional findings revealed that in patients who experienced local recurrence, the dose-averaged LET for CTV was lower than in patients who experienced tumor local control across the relative CTV volumes. Minimum dose-averaged LET showed a strong significant negative correlation with CTV volume in all patients (P <.0001).

“Analysis of the largest cohort reported to date demonstrated that a low [dose-averaged LET] within the CTV is associated with poor tumor [local control] in patients with pancreatic cancer treated with CIRT,” lead author Soichiro Sakamoto, MD, of the Department of Radiation Oncology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine in Maebashi, Japan, wrote in the publication with study coinvestigators. “We described the spatial and volumetric characteristics of [dose-averaged LET]profiles for CIRT and found that [dose-averaged LET] tends to be lower at the center of the target, and in larger targets. These data provide a rationale to support LET-modulated CIRT. Clinical studies are necessary to confirm the efficacy of the [dose-averaged LET] properties described herein.”

Investigators of the analysis selected those with inoperable pancreatic cancer, including those with advanced stage disease, those with comorbidities, and those for whom surgery was refused on the grounds of inoperability. They were treated with CIRT between July 2013 and June 2021. Those who were selected also had a diagnosis of primary pancreatic cancer per CT or MRI, had no distant metastases or tumor invasion of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and were previously treated with concurrent chemotherapy.

CIRT consisted of a prescribed dose of 55.2 Gy delivered in 12 fractions, and treatment plans were created to deliver at least 95% of the prescribed dose to the CTV. Beam energies of 290 MeV/u, 380 MeV/u, or 400 MeV/u were used to treat patients according to target depth, with CIRT administered once daily for 4 consecutive days a week beginning on Tuesday and ending on Friday. Patients fasted for a minimum of 3 hours and received radiation through respiratory gating.

Patients in the trial were mostly male (56.6%), with a median age of 66 years (range, 39-80). The majority of patients had an ECOG performance score of 1 (67.0%), nodal stage 0 disease (78.3%), and body tumors (57.5%). The median baseline CA19-9 level was 306 U/mL (range, 1-6087), and the median tumor diameter was 35 mm (range, 8-110).

The most common neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen was gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (42.4%), with 34.0% of patients having not undergone any neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Gemcitabine was the most common concurrent chemotherapy (74.5%) and the most common option in the adjuvant setting (33.0%)

The study evaluated OS, cumulative incidence of local recurrence, and predictive performance of parameters through ROC analysis.

During the acute phase of treatment, grade 3 GI toxicities were seen in 2.7% of patients, and hematological toxicities were observed in 1.8% of patients. A total of 4.7% of patients experienced grade 3 GI toxicities in the late phase. No grade 4 or 5 toxicities were reported.

Reference

Sakamoto S, Oike T, Kobayashi D, et al. Low dose-averaged LET contributes to local recurrence of pancreatic cancer treated with carbon ion radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. Published online July 15, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2025.07.1406