GR IIIx HDFvs A7S III
Ricoh
GR IIIx HDF (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Street & documentary photography with a distinctive aesthetic
View GR IIIx HDF
Sony
A7S III (2020)
Starting from £2999 new
Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking
View A7S III
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.
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
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
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 gr iiix hdf has the highest resolution at 24mp; the gr iiix hdf is the most affordable; only the a7s iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | GR IIIx HDF (2024) | A7S III (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £999 | £2,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 1920 × 1080 / 60fps | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Phase/contrast hybrid CDAF with Snap Focus | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 3-axis Shake Reduction (SR) — 4 stops | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 4fps continuous | 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~200 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording |
| Weight | 262g body only | 699g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 122.5 × 69.5 × 35.2mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None — rear LCD only | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD touchscreen, 1.037M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots |
| Mount | Fixed GR Lens 26.1mm f/2.8 (40mm equivalent) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD/SDHC/SDXC slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | GR IIIx HDF | A7S III |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Video | — |
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