Ricoh GR IIIvs A5100
Ricoh
Ricoh GR III (2019)
Starting from £899 new
Best for Street photography & urban reportage
View Ricoh GR III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Casual & Travel — A5100 (2014): The A5100 is one of the smallest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24MP sensor, phase-detect AF, and selfie-friendly flip screen pack remarkable capability into a shirt-pocket-sized body. No EVF or hot shoe limits it for serious use, but as a compact travel camera or beginner's first mirrorless, it punches well above its price on the used market.
Who should buy what
Ricoh GR III (2019)
- Street photographers who want a classic 28mm perspective in a pocketable body
- Documentary photographers who want a discreet, fast APS-C compact
- GR IIIx buyers who prefer the wider 28mm field of view
- Anyone who wants serious APS-C image quality without carrying a bag
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Quick take: The a5100 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a5100 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Ricoh GR III (2019) | A5100 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £200 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Hybrid contrast/phase-detect AF with subject detection | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | 4-stop IBIS (Shake Reduction) | None |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 6fps |
| Battery Life | 200 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 257g | 224g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 109.4 × 61.9 × 33.2mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | None | None |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Fixed 28mm-equiv f/2.8 lens | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Ricoh GR III | A5100 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Documentary | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history