Nikon D5100 vs Ricoh GR III

The Nikon D5100 and the Ricoh GR III are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2011 and February 2019. The D5100 is a DSLR, while the GR III is a fixed lens compact. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 16.1 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 D5100		Ricoh GR III
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Nikon F mount lenses		28mm f/2.8
16.1 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-102,400
Optical viewfinder		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
4 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
660 shots per battery charge		200 shots per battery charge
128 x 97 x 79 mm, 560 g		109 x 62 x 33 mm, 257 g

Check D5100 offers at
ebay.com
Check GR III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D5100 and the Ricoh GR III? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon D5100 and the Ricoh GR III. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. 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 III is considerably smaller (46 percent) than the Nikon D5100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D5100 nor the GR III are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the GR III has a lens built in, whereas the D5100 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the D5100 and their specifications in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the D5100 gets 660 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL14 battery, while the GR III can take 200 images on a single charge of its Ricoh DB-110 power pack. The power pack in the GR III 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 would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
2.		Ricoh GR III	109 mm	62 mm	33 mm	257 g	200	n	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
3.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3200	125 mm	96 mm	77 mm	505 g	540	n	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5200	129 mm	98 mm	78 mm	555 g	500	n	Nov 2012	749	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic ZS200	111 mm	65 mm	45 mm	340 g	370	n	Feb 2018	799	amazon.com
14.		Ricoh GR	117 mm	61 mm	35 mm	245 g	290	n	Apr 2013	799	ebay.com
15.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
16.		Ricoh GR IIIx	109 mm	62 mm	35 mm	262 g	200	n	Sep 2021	999	amazon.com
17.		Sony NEX-5N	111 mm	59 mm	38 mm	269 g	460	n	Aug 2011	699	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the GR III is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the GR III offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the D5100. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.80μm for the D5100). However, it should be noted that the GR III is much more recent (by 7 years and 10 months) than the D5100, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the GR III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Ricoh GR III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the GR III 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 D5100 are 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.

The GR III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Nikon D5100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Ricoh GR III 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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 D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80
2.		Ricoh GR III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.5	1897	83
3.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
4.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
5.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
6.		Nikon D3200	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/30p	24.1	13.2	1131	81
7.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
8.		Nikon D5200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.2	13.9	1284	84
9.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
10.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
11.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
12.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
13.		Panasonic ZS200	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	449	64
14.		Ricoh GR	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.5	972	78
15.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
16.		Ricoh GR IIIx	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.8	2146	85
17.		Sony NEX-5N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.6	12.7	1079	77
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the GR III provides a faster frame rate than the D5100. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the D5100 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the GR III relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the GR III can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the GV-1. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D5100, the Ricoh GR III, 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 D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
2.		Ricoh GR III	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D3200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D5200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic ZS200	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Ricoh GR	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
15.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
16.		Ricoh GR IIIx	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony NEX-5N	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
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 D5100 has one, while the GR III does not. While the built-in flash of the D5100 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D5100 and the Ricoh GR III 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the D5100 and the GR III write their files to 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 D5100 and Ricoh GR III 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 D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Ricoh GR III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D3200	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D5200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic ZS200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Ricoh GR	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Ricoh GR IIIx	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony NEX-5N	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the D5100 has a microphone port, which is missing on the GR III. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The GR III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Ricoh. In contrast, the D5100 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D5100 was succeeded by the Nikon D5200. Further information on the features and operation of the D5100 and GR III can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D5100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Ricoh GR III Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon D5100 better than the Ricoh GR III or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D5100:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (660 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 April 2011).

Reasons to prefer the Ricoh GR III:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 16.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 22%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 921k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the D5100 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (109x62mm vs 128x97mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the D5100).
• 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.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 10 months of technical progress since the D5100 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GR III is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 D5100 and the Ricoh GR III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Prime Lens Compact Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the D5100 or the GR III perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. 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 D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
2.		Ricoh GR III	4/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	..	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
3.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3200	5/5	+ +	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5200	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	749	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic ZS200	..	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	799	amazon.com
14.		Ricoh GR	5/5	..	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	799	ebay.com
15.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
16.		Ricoh GR IIIx	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	..	Sep 2021	999	amazon.com
17.		Sony NEX-5N	3/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Check GR III price at
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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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