Ricoh GR vs Pentax K-1

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Ricoh GR vs Pentax K-1

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

Go in depth with our full Ricoh GR Review.
See real-world photos taken with the GR.

35mm 861.6mm²
36.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 204,800

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-1 Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-1 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-1.
Compare Pentax K-1 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-1 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Ricoh GR II
Compare GR vs GR II

Succeeded by the Pentax K-1 II
Compare K-1 vs K-1 II

Compare RICOH GR II vs PENTAX K-1 II

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Differences

Ricoh GR advantages over Pentax K-1

Less expensive
$799 vs $1800 (MSRP)
Save money for lenses or accessories
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 85 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/4000 vs 1/200 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Lighter weight
243g vs 1015g
Lighter weight
Longer exposure
300 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 74 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
6.1 fps vs 4.6 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Pentax K-1 advantages over Ricoh GR

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
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Fast startup
~1.20 vs 1.6 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
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.
K-1 test data on DxO Mark GR test data on DxO Mark

3,280 vs 972 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
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

760 vs 290 shots
Capture more photos
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Less shutter lag
0.09 vs 0.28 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
36.4 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
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
4.6 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
17 vs 4 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
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
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
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

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Buy the Ricoh GR

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Buy the Pentax K-1

Review Excerpt

The most compact APS-C camera on the market; Bright, sharp 28mm f/2.8 prime lens with almost no distortion; Excellent image quality; Extremely customizable; Fast autofocus; Strong built-in flash plus hot shoe.
Fixed prime lens is not for everybody; Crowded and small controls; Burst performance is limited; Muted colors and cool white balance; Has issues with moire and false color.
Read our Ricoh GR Review

Unlocks the full potential of full-frame Pentax lenses; Excellent image quality; Great ergonomics and build; Very compact for full-frame; Decent performance; Fast autofocus with great low-light capabilities; Very wide sensitivity range; Bright, accurate viewfinder; Articulated LCD; Stabilization, Wi-Fi and GPS in-camera
No built-in flash strobe; Quite heavy compared to APS-C flagships; Somewhat soft images and blown highlights by default in JPEG mode; Warm Auto white balance indoors; Slow startup and buffer clearing; Small top-deck status display; Weak viewfinder illumination; Below-average battery life for DSLR
Read our Pentax K-1 Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon Coolpix A

Ricoh GR

Nikon Coolpix A

$799
APS-C

Less expensive
Longer stills battery life

$1097
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Bigger RAW buffer

Compare Ricoh GR vs Nikon Coolpix A

Pentax K-1

Nikon Coolpix A

$1800
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1097
APS-C

Less expensive
Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Nikon Coolpix A

Compared to Canon 5DS

Ricoh GR

Canon 5DS

$799
APS-C

Bigger pixels
Internal flash

$1549
35mm

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Ricoh GR vs Canon 5DS

Pentax K-1

Canon 5DS

$1800
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1549
35mm

Fast startup
More cross-type AF points

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Canon 5DS

Compared to Ricoh GR II

Ricoh GR

Ricoh GR II

$799
APS-C

$538
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

Compare Ricoh GR vs Ricoh GR II

Pentax K-1

Ricoh GR II

$1800
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$538
APS-C

NFC
Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Ricoh GR II

Compared to Fujifilm X70

Ricoh GR

Fujifilm X70

$799
APS-C

Integrated ND filter
Higher max flash sync

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

Compare Ricoh GR vs Fujifilm X70

Pentax K-1

Fujifilm X70

$1800
35mm

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$699
APS-C

Touchscreen
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Fujifilm X70

Compared to Pentax K-1 II

Ricoh GR

Pentax K-1 II

$799
APS-C

Internal flash
Integrated ND filter

$1747
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Ricoh GR vs Pentax K-1 II

Pentax K-1

Pentax K-1 II

$1800
35mm

$1747
35mm

Higher extended ISO

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Pentax K-1 II

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