GFX 50S IIvs Ricoh GR IIIvs A7 IV
Which should you buy?
Studio & Portrait Specialists — GFX 50S II (2021): Medium format quality at the most accessible price ever — 51MP detail and tonal richness no APS-C or full-frame body can replicate.
Street Photography & Urban Reportage — Ricoh GR III (2019): The purest street photography compact — APS-C sensor, 28mm perspective, IBIS, and cult-favourite JPEG rendering in a shirt pocket.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
Who should buy what
GFX 50S II (2021)
- You want to experience medium format without a five-figure investment
- You shoot landscape, architecture, or portraits where resolution and tonal depth matter
- You're in the Fujifilm ecosystem and want to step up to a larger sensor
Ricoh GR III (2019)
- You shoot street, travel, or documentary and want APS-C quality in a coat or shirt pocket
- You want a camera you'll genuinely always carry without thinking about it
- You appreciate sharp, characterful images from a fixed 28mm equivalent focal length
A7 IV (2021)
- You want a high-resolution full-frame all-rounder for portraits, weddings, or travel
- You're stepping up from APS-C or a DSLR and want the best all-round full-frame body under £3,000
- You shoot a mix of stills and video and need a single body that handles both seriously
- You want access to the widest lens ecosystem in the mirrorless market
Quick take: The gfx 50s ii has the highest resolution at 51mp; the ricoh gr iii is the most affordable; only the gfx 50s ii, a7 iv are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | GFX 50S II (2021) | Ricoh GR III (2019) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,999 | £899 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 51.4MP Medium Format GFX 44×33mm BSI CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 51.4MP | 24.2MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (cropped) | 1080p/60p | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 425 points | Hybrid contrast/phase-detect AF with subject detection | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 6.5 stops | 4-stop IBIS (Shake Reduction) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 3fps | 4fps | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~440 shots (CIPA) | 200 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 900g body only | 257g | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 104.2 × 87.2mm | 109.4 × 61.9 × 33.2mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.77× magnification | None | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Fujifilm G-mount (medium format) | Fixed 28mm-equiv f/2.8 lens | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Single SD UHS-I | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Compare pairs from this group