Ricoh GR II vs Sony A7 III

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Ricoh GR II vs Sony A7 III

Leave Feedback

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.

35mm 847.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Sony A7 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7 III.
Compare Sony A7 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7 III conclusion.

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

Succeeded by the Sony A7 IV
Compare A7 III vs A7 IV

Compare RICOH GR III vs SONY A7 IV

Buy From

Differences

Ricoh GR II advantages over Sony A7 III

Less expensive
$538* vs $1498
Save money for lenses or accessories
Fast startup
~1.30 vs 1.7 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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
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 163 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Sony A7 III advantages over Ricoh GR II

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Bigger pixels
~ 5.93 vs 4.81 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
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.
A7 III test data on DxO Mark GR II test data on DxO Mark

3,730 vs 1,078 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
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

710 vs 320 shots
Capture more photos
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Newer
7 years vs 9 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Less shutter lag
0.20 vs 0.29 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
24.2 vs 16.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
9.9 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.7 fps vs 6.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
33 vs 10 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
204800 vs 25600 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
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Both provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
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

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read GR II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7 III User Reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Ricoh GR II

Ricoh GR II

All GR II Deals

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony A7 III

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 28-70mm Lens

All A7 III Deals

Review Excerpt

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

New 24MP sensor offers excellent image quality; Outstanding high ISO performance and dynamic range; Improved JPEG colors; Improved build quality; Fast autofocus; Excellent 4K video; Very good battery life.
Buffer clearing can be slow even with fast UHS-II cards; UHS-II support only on one card slot; No losslessly compressed RAW option; Dedicated battery charger not included; Menus are still confusing; No built-in flash.
Read our Sony A7 III Review

The Competition

Compared to 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

Sony A7 III

Ricoh GR

$1531
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$799
APS-C

Internal flash
Integrated ND filter

Compare Sony A7 III vs Ricoh GR

Compared to Fujifilm X70

Ricoh GR II

Fujifilm X70

$538
APS-C

Less expensive
NFC

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Fujifilm X70

Sony A7 III

Fujifilm X70

$1531
35mm

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Sony A7 III vs Fujifilm X70

Compared to Fujifilm XF10

Ricoh GR II

Fujifilm XF10

$538
APS-C

Bigger pixels
NFC

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Fujifilm XF10

Sony A7 III

Fujifilm XF10

$1531
35mm

Larger sensor
Slower slow-motion

$499
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Sony A7 III vs Fujifilm XF10

Compared to Nikon Z6

Ricoh GR II

Nikon Z6

$538
APS-C

Less expensive
NFC

$1396
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Nikon Z6

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6

$1531
35mm

Less expensive
NFC

$1396
35mm

Top deck display
More dots on screen

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6

Compared to Nikon Z6 II

Ricoh GR II

Nikon Z6 II

$538
APS-C

Less expensive
NFC

$1747
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Nikon Z6 II

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6 II

$1531
35mm

Less expensive
NFC

$1747
35mm

Top deck display
Newer

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6 II

Compare Other Cameras?