Ricoh GR IIIvs A7C
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.
Compact Travel & Content Creation — A7C (2020): The A7C proves full-frame doesn't have to be bulky. Excellent battery life, reliable Eye AF and a vari-angle screen in a pocketable body is a compelling combination for travel and content creators. The A7C II improved on it, but the original remains a strong value buy.
Who should buy what
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
A7C (2020)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame in the smallest possible body
- Content creators who need a flip screen and reliable Eye AF
- Photographers upgrading from APS-C who want to keep a compact kit
- Vloggers who need 4K and great battery life on the road
Quick take: The ricoh gr iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Ricoh GR III (2019) | A7C (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £899 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Hybrid contrast/phase-detect AF with subject detection | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | 4-stop IBIS (Shake Reduction) | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | 200 shots (CIPA) | ~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless |
| Weight | 257g | 509g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 109.4 × 61.9 × 33.2mm | 124.0 × 71.1 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | None | None built-in — use rear screen or accessory EVF |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Fixed 28mm-equiv f/2.8 lens | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I | Single SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
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