GR IIIx HDFvs A6500
Ricoh
GR IIIx HDF (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Street & documentary photography with a distinctive aesthetic
View GR IIIx HDF
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Street & Documentary Photography With A Distinctive Aesthetic — GR IIIx HDF (2024): The GR IIIx with a built-in dream filter — for photographers who want the GR's legendary APS-C quality with an added layer of analogue magic.
Travel, Street & Versatile Everyday Photography — A6500 (2016): The first Sony APS-C with IBIS — the A6500 added in-body stabilisation, touch AF, and a far deeper buffer to the A6300's already strong formula.
Who should buy what
GR IIIx HDF (2024)
- GR IIIx fans who want the HDF bloom effect without using post-processing
- Street photographers who want a distinctive, instantly recognisable aesthetic
- Film photography enthusiasts who want to replicate analogue optical character digitally
- GR III owners ready to upgrade to the 40mm equivalent perspective
A6500 (2016)
- Travel photographers who want IBIS in a compact weather-sealed E-mount body
- A6300 owners who need the stabilisation or touch AF the A6300 lacked
- Street and documentary photographers who want a capable compact with weather sealing
- Sony E-mount shooters looking for a capable used body at an accessible price
Quick take: The a6500 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | GR IIIx HDF (2024) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £999 | £649 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1920 × 1080 / 60fps | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Phase/contrast hybrid CDAF with Snap Focus | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | 3-axis Shake Reduction (SR) — 4 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 4fps continuous | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~200 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 262g body only | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 122.5 × 69.5 × 35.2mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None — rear LCD only | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD touchscreen, 1.037M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Fixed GR Lens 26.1mm f/2.8 (40mm equivalent) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD/SDHC/SDXC slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | GR IIIx HDF | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with GR IIIx HDF
Camera family history