Canon 7D vs Ricoh GR II

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Canon 7D vs Ricoh GR II

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APS-C 332.3mm²
18.0 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Canon 7D Review.
See real-world photos taken with the 7D.

APS-C 369.7mm²
16.2 megapixels
28.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Ricoh GR II Review.
How does it shoot? Ricoh GR II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the GR II.
Compare Ricoh GR II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Ricoh GR II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon 7D Mark II
Compare 7D vs 7D Mark II

Succeeded by the Ricoh GR III
Compare GR II vs GR III

Compare CANON 7D MARK II vs RICOH GR III

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Differences

Canon 7D advantages over Ricoh GR II

Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 1.3 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

800 vs 320 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Less shutter lag
0.13 vs 0.29 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
8.0 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.0 fps vs 6.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
16 vs 10 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Ricoh GR II advantages over Canon 7D

Larger sensor
APS-C vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Less expensive
$538* vs $1499
Save money for lenses or accessories
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
GR II test data on DxO Mark 7D test data on DxO Mark

1,078 vs 854 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
GR II test data on DxO Mark 7D test data on DxO Mark

13.7 vs 11.7 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Thinner
34 mm vs 73 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/4000 vs 1/250 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
9 years vs 15 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
300 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 22 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 12800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Focus peaking
Neither provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read 7D User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read GR II User Reviews

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Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm lens

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Ricoh GR II

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Review Excerpt

Excellent 18-megapixel sensor with impressively low noise and superb detail; Very good high ISO performance, especially for 18-megapixel subframe sensor; Rugged construction with magnesium body and weather sealing; Fast autofocus and fast burst rate of 8 fps; Full HD (1920x1080) movies at 30/25/24p, 60/50p at 1280x720.
No dedicated AF-assist lamp (flash is used), and AF-assist adjustment is buried in the Flash Settings menu; Kit lens (28-135mm) isn't quite up to the resolving power of the 18-megapixel sensor, odd focal length for subframe DSLR; No continuous autofocus in Movie mode.
Read our Canon 7D Full Review

Shooting with a wide prime helps you see new shots; Good performance and fast autofocus; Excellent sharp, bright lens; Very customizable; In-camera Wi-Fi works with more than just Android and iOS; Supports Pentax wireless flash strobes
Fixed, wide prime lens isn't for everyone; Cramped controls; Burst capture is slower for JPEGs; Tends too warm under incandescent lighting; Wi-Fi app is poor, and web browser control has cluttered interface
Read our Ricoh GR II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 7D

Canon 7D Mark II

$1499
APS-C

Less expensive
Less shutter lag

$1799
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Built-in GPS

Compare Canon 7D vs Canon 7D Mark II

Ricoh GR II

Canon 7D Mark II

$538
APS-C

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

$1799
APS-C

Eye-level viewfinder
Fast startup

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Canon 7D Mark II

Compared to Canon 60D

Canon 7D

Canon 60D

$1499
APS-C

More cross-type AF points
Less shutter lag

$889
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon 7D vs Canon 60D

Ricoh GR II

Canon 60D

$538
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$889
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Canon 60D

Compared to Nikon D7000

Canon 7D

Nikon D7000

$1499
APS-C

More telephoto lens reach
More cross-type AF points

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Higher effective ISO

Compare Canon 7D vs Nikon D7000

Ricoh GR II

Nikon D7000

$538
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

$699
APS-C

Eye-level viewfinder
Fast startup

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Nikon D7000

Compared to Sony A77

Canon 7D

Sony A77

$1499
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$1899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

Compare Canon 7D vs Sony A77

Ricoh GR II

Sony A77

$538
APS-C

Bigger pixels
Built-in Wi-Fi

$1899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Sony A77

Compared to Ricoh GR

Canon 7D

Ricoh GR

$1499
APS-C

Eye-level viewfinder
Fast startup

$799
APS-C

Larger sensor
Higher effective ISO

Compare Canon 7D vs Ricoh GR

Ricoh GR II

Ricoh GR

$538
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

$799
APS-C

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Ricoh GR

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