realme GT 8 Pro Brings Iconic RICOH GR Camera Experience to Smartphones

Chase Xu, Vice President and CMO of realme

• The global partnership between realme and RICOH IMAGING redefines smartphone photography through advanced co-engineering across optics, imaging technology, and user experience, delivering a truly superior snapshot performance.
• The upcoming realme GT 8 Pro series will debut exclusive RICOH GR camera technology, setting a new benchmark in premium imaging.

realme, the most popular smartphone brand among Indian youth, today officially announced a long-term, strategic partnership with RICOH IMAGING COMPANY LTD. Following four years of profound preparation, the two brands made the announcement at a dedicated launch event in Beijing, China, confirming the highly anticipated realme GT 8 Pro will exclusively feature the co-engineered RICOH GR camera features. With the GT 8 Pro, users can experience street photography like never before, capturing every moment with precision, joy and creativity.

Chase Xu, Vice President and CMO of realme, stated,

This strategic partnership with RICOH GR marks a transformative leap in smartphone photography. We are committed to equipping users with a device that embodies freedom, creativity, and authenticity. The GT 8 Pro not only integrates GR’s iconic photography legacy but also sets a new standard for capturing and sharing experiences in the digital age.

Kazunobu Saiki, General Manager of Camera Business Division at RICOH IMAGING COMPANY LTD., said: “Through this strategic collaboration, realme and RICOH GR have transformed decades of GR expertise into the GT 8 Pro. This collaboration transcends mere product innovation; it revitalizes street photography culture for the next generation.”

Kazunobu Saiki, General Manager of Camera Business Division at RICOH IMAGING COMPANY LTD and Chase Xu, Vice President and CMO of realme

Understanding the pain points of young mobile users, realme has crafted the GT 8 Pro’s photography philosophy, “Snap by No Rules,” which goes beyond conventional imaging standards to let every photograph reflect the user’s unique style. To bring this vision to life, the R&D teams from realme and RICOH IMAGING have implemented bespoke customizations, ensuring unmatched performance and a truly exceptional smartphone photography experience.

At the heart of the GT 8 Pro is a brand-new ultra-high transparency lens group, co-developed with RICOH IMAGING. Meeting RICOH GR optical standards, this lens delivers industry-leading anti-glare performance, higher resolving power, and minimal distortion, capturing every shot with remarkable clarity and purity.

The immersive RICOH GR Mode faithfully inherits RICOH GR’s philosophy and aesthetics. A simple swipe opens the customized interface, replicating fast startup speed just like RICOH GR cameras. It features the same signature shutter click sound as the RICOH GR IV—each press confirms the capture of the moment’s emotion. Snap Mode lets users preset focus distance precisely; when inspiration strikes, no waiting is needed—intuitive operation delivers instant sharp shots.

For framing, the GT 8 Pro offers two classic RICOH GR focal lengths: 28mm and 40mm (In full-frame equivalent focal length). 28mm captures full street stories with rich details; 40mm hones in on moments of emotional peak. Viewfinder Mode hides all extra settings, turning the world into a frame—users immerse in the moment, and one click locks it in.

GT 8 Pro also includes five exclusive Classic RICOH GR Tones—Standard, Positive Film, Negative Film, Monotone, and High-Contrast B&W—crafted from hundreds of lighting scenarios and color tests, integrating RICOH’s nearly 30-year imaging expertise within one device. Users can further personalize their photos through the Customized Tone function by adjusting effect parameters to suit their style. Additional RICOH GR details enhance authenticity and social interaction. RICOH GR-style watermarks, dedicated albums with the GR labels, and the ability to share tone recipes foster a personalized street photography culture and community for young creators.

Blending RICOH GR’s heritage and smartphone imaging, the realme GT 8 Pro meets young users’ personalized imaging needs—appealing to both photography enthusiasts and casual users. realme GT 8 Pro will soon launch globally, bringing the iconic RICOH GR street photography experience to more users worldwide.

realme and Ricoh GR Unite to Redefine Mobile Street Photography with GT 8 Pro

realme CMO Chase Xu Talks with Kazunobu Saiki, General Manager of Camera Business Division at RICOH IMAGING COMPANY LTD.

• realme and RICOH IMAGING to Announce Official Strategic Partnership on Smartphone Imaging, Teasing the Industry’s Deepest Imaging Collaboration in Street Photography. 
• Four years in the making, this imaging collaboration will debut with the GT 8 Pro series and boasts deep customization to enhance every shutter press for users and co-promote street photography culture.

realme, India’s most popular smartphone brand among young users, today announced a strategic partnership with RICOH IMAGING COMPANY LTD., set to officially launch on October 14 in Beijing, China.

After four years of preparation, this collaboration is positioned as one of the industry’s most profound imaging partnerships. To celebrate, the two companies released the “4 Years in One Snap” video, highlighting four years of co-engineering and teasing features of their first co-created product, designed specifically for the realme GT 8 Pro.

A Joint Journey Starting from Mobile User Pain Points

In the video, realme Vice President and CMO Chase Xu discussed with Kazunobu Saiki, General Manager of Camera Business Division at RICOH IMAGING COMPANY LTD., the elements that brought two brands together, which grounded on a shared understanding of user demands. realme saw that young people struggled with two main pain points in mobile photography: increasingly similar hardware and over-processed algorithms that stripped photos of authenticity. “People are getting tired of the same ‘perfect style’ photos. More and more, everyone wants to show their own style, instead of copying the same look.” Chase Xu explained.

The RICOH GR series has been known as a “street photography hero” because of its sharp quality, portability, and quick response. “That’s exactly what we value,” Xu said. Saiki echoed this: “RICOH Imaging and realme share a base of young, creative users. Our collaboration is not only about innovation in products, but also about culture to inspire a new generation to enjoy street photography and discover the beauty of everyday life.”

This shared spirit is why the two brands came together: to give young people tools that allow for authentic capture and personal expression, carrying the tradition of conventional camera into mobile photography.

The GT 8 Pro Brings GR Heritage to Young People’s Pocket

Through extensive customizations between realme and RICOH GR’s R&D teams, the GT 8 Pro offers an unprecedented imaging experience, achieving groundbreaking innovations in optical capabilities, color algorithms, imaging tones, and a tailor-made UI design that mimics the feel of a RICOH GR camera.

This device seamlessly blends 30 years of RICOH GR heritage, including its iconic film-like aesthetic and five classic image tones, with realme’s strengths in mobile imaging and profound insights into the preferences of current generations, creating a unique synergy that advances street photography culture through joint development and co-engineering. More than just a competition of specifications or uniform filters, it infuses mood and emotional warmth into every photo, encouraging young users to document their daily lives with authenticity.

“Snap By No Rules”

This partnership isn’t just about a product, it’s about extending street photography culture into the mobile era. 4 Years in One Snap marks a milestone, encouraging young people to freely record and express their lives. “It’s a fresh, young way to take photos. You don’t wait or try to make the perfect shot but just press the button and capture the moment - Snap by No Rules,” said Xu

Through this collaboration, we hope that even those who don't usually use dedicated camera would experience snapshot photography with the GT 8 Pro, Saiki noted.

The journey now heads toward October 14, when realme and Ricoh GR’s partnership will make its official debut, ushering in a new era of mobile street photography.