GR IIIx HDFvs A7 IV
Ricoh
GR IIIx HDF (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Street & documentary photography with a distinctive aesthetic
View GR IIIx HDF
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.
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
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
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Quick take: The a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the gr iiix hdf is the most affordable; only the a7 iv is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | GR IIIx HDF (2024) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £999 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 1920 × 1080 / 60fps | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Phase/contrast hybrid CDAF with Snap Focus | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 3-axis Shake Reduction (SR) — 4 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 4fps continuous | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~200 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 262g body only | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 122.5 × 69.5 × 35.2mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None — rear LCD only | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD touchscreen, 1.037M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Fixed GR Lens 26.1mm f/2.8 (40mm equivalent) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD/SDHC/SDXC slot | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | GR IIIx HDF | A7 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| 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