GFX 50S IIvs Ricoh GR IIIvs A7S III
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.
Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking — A7S III (2020): If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.
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
A7S III (2020)
- Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
- Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
- Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary
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, a7s iii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | GFX 50S II (2021) | Ricoh GR III (2019) | A7S III (2020) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,999 | £899 | £2,999 |
| Sensor | 51.4MP Medium Format GFX 44×33mm BSI CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | 51.4MP | 24.2MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (cropped) | 1080p/60p | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 425 points | Hybrid contrast/phase-detect AF with subject detection | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 6.5 stops | 4-stop IBIS (Shake Reduction) | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 3fps | 4fps | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~440 shots (CIPA) | 200 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording |
| Weight | 900g body only | 257g | 699g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 104.2 × 87.2mm | 109.4 × 61.9 × 33.2mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.77× magnification | None | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | Fujifilm G-mount (medium format) | Fixed 28mm-equiv f/2.8 lens | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Single SD UHS-I | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
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