- Realme announces strategic partnership with Ricoh Imaging
- A new GT 8 Pro smartphone will be launched on October 14
- ‘Co-created with Ricoh, the GT 8 Pro will be ‘powered’ by Ricoh GR tech
Xiaomi and Leica. Oppo and Hasselblad. Yes, ‘strategic partnerships’ between Chinese smartphone makers and well-regarded camera brands are nothing new, but the latest marriage – that of Realme and Ricoh Imaging – arguably feels like the most logical of the lot.
The self-proclaimed world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand announced today that its long-term strategic partnership with Ricoh Imaging, which was four years in the making, will officially kick off on October 14 with the launch of the GT 8 Pro smartphone, co-created with Ricoh.
In a launch video, Realme Vice President Chase Xu says, “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.”
In a bid to co-promote authentic street photography culture, 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… carrying the tradition of conventional camera into mobile photography.”
This all sounds promising, especially for a Ricoh GR fan like me.
To capture life as it truly is. Snap by No Rules. pic.twitter.com/c6AzXl5ON8October 10, 2025
The smartphone / camera partnership of all partnerships?
I personally carry a Ricoh GR IIIx with me everywhere, grabbing everyday moments such as street photos and family candids. It’s one in a long line of premium compact cameras by Ricoh with a devoted fan base, culminating in this year’s GR IV, which I’m yet to test.
Known as the street photographer’s camera with a genuinely pocketable design, Ricoh’s GR series feels like an obvious pick for an increasingly popular smartphone brand to piggyback.
The recent Xiaomi 15 Ultra with Photography kit somewhat reminded me of my GR IIIx user experience, but the new GT 8 Pro could be next-level – heck, it even has ‘Camera powered by Ricoh GR’ written on its back.
We don’t know the tech specs of the GT 8 Pro yet, nor anything beyond the few words in the Realme press release. But I’ll be tuning in on October 14 to find out more, and I’m excited to get my hands on the GT 8 Pro. It might just offer the authentic camera phone experience that enthusiast photographers have been looking for.
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