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GR IIIx HDFvs A9

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Ricoh GR IIIx HDF Ricoh GR IIIx HDF (2024) Starting from £999 new Best for Street & documentary photography with a distinctive aesthetic View GR IIIx HDF
VS
Sony A9 Sony A9 (2017) Starting from £1999 new Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography View A9

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 Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.

↓ Full specifications below

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

A9 (2017)

  • Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
  • Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
  • Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
  • Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry

Quick take: The gr iiix hdf is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification GR IIIx HDF (2024)A9 (2017)
Price £999 £1,999
Sensor 24.2MP APS-C CMOS 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS
Resolution 24.2MP 24.2MP
Video 1920 × 1080 / 60fps 4K/30p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus Phase/contrast hybrid CDAF with Snap Focus 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking
Stabilisation 3-axis Shake Reduction (SR) — 4 stops IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops
Burst Rate 4fps continuous 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE)
Battery Life ~200 shots (CIPA) ~650 shots (CIPA)
Weight 262g body only 673g (with battery and card)
Dimensions 122.5 × 69.5 × 35.2mm 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm
Weather Sealed No Yes
Viewfinder None — rear LCD only EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free)
Screen 3.0" fixed LCD touchscreen, 1.037M dots 3.0" tilting 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 SD UHS-II slots
Connectivity USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI
Genre GR IIIx HDFA9
Street
9.0
Travel
9.0
7.0
Portrait
7.0
9.0
Landscape
7.0
Sports
4.0
Wildlife
4.0
9.0
Sports & Action
9.0
Wedding & Events
9.0
Vlogging & Video
4.0

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side GR IIIx HDF prices → A9 prices →

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