Nikon 1 V3 vs Ricoh GR IIIx

The Nikon 1 V3 and the Ricoh GR IIIx are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in March 2014 and September 2021. The V3 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the GR IIIx is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an one-inch (V3) and an APS-C (GR IIIx) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 18.2 megapixels, whereas the Ricoh provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon 1 V3		Ricoh GR IIIx
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Nikon 1 mount lenses		40mm f/2.8
18.2 MP – 1" sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 160-12,800		ISO 100-102,400
Viewfinder optional		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
60 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
310 shots per battery charge		200 shots per battery charge
111 x 65 x 33 mm, 381 g		109 x 62 x 35 mm, 262 g

Check V3 offers at
ebay.com
Check GR IIIx price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon 1 V3 and the Ricoh GR IIIx? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Nikon 1 V3 and the Ricoh GR IIIx are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Ricoh GR IIIx is notably smaller (6 percent) than the Nikon 1 V3. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the V3 nor the GR IIIx are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the GR IIIx has a lens built in, whereas the V3 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the V3 gets 310 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL20a battery, while the GR IIIx can take 200 images on a single charge of its Ricoh DB-110 power pack. The power pack in the GR IIIx can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon 1 V3	111 mm	65 mm	33 mm	381 g	310	n	Mar 2014	799	ebay.com
2.		Ricoh GR IIIx	109 mm	62 mm	35 mm	262 g	200	n	Sep 2021	999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 100D	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-M1	117 mm	67 mm	39 mm	330 g	350	n	Jun 2013	699	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T10	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	381 g	350	n	May 2015	799	ebay.com
7.		Nikon 1 J4	100 mm	60 mm	29 mm	232 g	300	n	Apr 2014	549	ebay.com
8.		Nikon 1 V1	113 mm	76 mm	44 mm	383 g	350	n	Sep 2011	799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon 1 V2	109 mm	82 mm	46 mm	278 g	310	n	Oct 2012	799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic TZ100	111 mm	65 mm	44 mm	312 g	300	n	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
15.		Ricoh GR III	109 mm	62 mm	33 mm	257 g	200	n	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
16.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon 1 V3 features an one-inch sensor and the Ricoh GR IIIx an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the GR IIIx is 216 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the GR IIIx offers a higher resolution than the V3 (18.2MP), but the GR IIIx nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 2.52μm for the V3) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the GR IIIx is a much more recent model (by 7 years and 5 months) than the V3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Ricoh GR IIIx implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the GR IIIx for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon 1 V3 are 26.2 x 17.4 inches or 66.4 x 44.3 cm for good quality, 20.9 x 14 inches or 53.2 x 35.4 cm for very good quality, and 17.4 x 11.6 inches or 44.3 x 29.5 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon 1 V3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 160 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Ricoh GR IIIx are ISO 100 to ISO 102400 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon 1 V3	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	384	52
2.		Ricoh GR IIIx	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.8	2146	85
3.		Canon 100D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
4.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
5.		Fujifilm X-M1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.4	12.6	1371	76
6.		Fujifilm X-T10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	12.9	1546	79
7.		Nikon 1 J4	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	426	53
8.		Nikon 1 V1	1-inch	10.0	3872	2592	1080/60i	21.3	11.0	346	54
9.		Nikon 1 V2	1-inch	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	20.2	10.8	403	50
10.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
11.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
12.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
13.		Panasonic TZ100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	559	70
14.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
15.		Ricoh GR III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.5	1897	83
16.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
17.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The V3 and the GR IIIx are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. However, optional viewfinders – the DF-N1000 for the V3 and the GV-3 for the GR IIIx – are available as accessories. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon 1 V3, the Ricoh GR IIIx, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon 1 V3	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
2.		Ricoh GR IIIx	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm X-M1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X-T10	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon 1 J4	none	n	3.0 / 1037	Fixed	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon 1 V1	1440	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
9.		Nikon 1 V2	1440	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	15.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic TZ100	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
15.		Ricoh GR III	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The V3 has one, while the GR IIIx does not. While the built-in flash of the V3 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the V3 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon 1 V3 and the Ricoh GR IIIx both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The V3 writes its imaging data to micro SDXC cards, while the GR IIIx uses SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon 1 V3 and Ricoh GR IIIx and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon 1 V3	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Ricoh GR IIIx	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Fujifilm X-M1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X-T10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Nikon 1 J4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Nikon 1 V1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon 1 V2	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Panasonic TZ100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Ricoh GR III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the V3 has a microphone port, which is missing on the GR IIIx. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The GR IIIx is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Ricoh. In contrast, the V3 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the V3 from Nikon. Further information on the features and operation of the V3 and GR IIIx can be found, respectively, in the Nikon 1 V3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Ricoh GR IIIx Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon 1 V3 and the Ricoh GR IIIx? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon 1 V3:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (60 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (310 versus 200) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2014).

Arguments in favor of the Ricoh GR IIIx:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 18.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 15%.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the V3 necessitates an extra lens.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the V3).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 5 months of technical progress since the V3 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the GR IIIx is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon 1 V3 and the Ricoh GR IIIx place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the V3 and the GR IIIx in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon 1 V3	3/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2014	799	ebay.com
2.		Ricoh GR IIIx	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	..	Sep 2021	999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-M1	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	699	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T10	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	May 2015	799	ebay.com
7.		Nikon 1 J4	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Apr 2014	549	ebay.com
8.		Nikon 1 V1	..	+	..	69/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon 1 V2	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2012	799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic TZ100	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
15.		Ricoh GR III	4/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	..	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
16.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Check GR IIIx price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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