Ricoh GR III vs Sony A5100

The Ricoh GR III and the Sony Alpha A5100 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2019 and August 2014. The GR III is a fixed lens compact, while the A5100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Ricoh GR III		Sony A5100
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
28mm f/2.8		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-102,400		ISO 100-25,600
Viewfinder optional		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
4 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
200 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
109 x 62 x 33 mm, 257 g		110 x 63 x 36 mm, 283 g

Check GR III price at
amazon.com
Check A5100 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Ricoh GR III and the Sony Alpha A5100? 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 Ricoh GR III and the Sony A5100. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The A5100 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the GR III is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A5100 is somewhat larger (3 percent) than the Ricoh GR III. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the GR III nor the A5100 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 A5100 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 A5100 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the GR III gets 200 shots out of its Ricoh DB-110 battery, while the A5100 can take 400 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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.		Ricoh GR III	109 mm	62 mm	33 mm	257 g	200	n	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
2.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-S10	126 mm	85 mm	65 mm	465 g	325	n	Oct 2020	999	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic ZS200	111 mm	65 mm	45 mm	340 g	370	n	Feb 2018	799	amazon.com
8.		Ricoh GR IIIx	109 mm	62 mm	35 mm	262 g	200	n	Sep 2021	999	amazon.com
9.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
10.		Ricoh GR	117 mm	61 mm	35 mm	245 g	290	n	Apr 2013	799	ebay.com
11.		Sony ZV-1	105 mm	60 mm	44 mm	294 g	260	n	May 2020	799	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100 VI	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	301 g	240	n	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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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. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the GR III and the A5100 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the GR III is much more recent (by 4 years and 6 months) than the A5100, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. 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 Ricoh GR III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A5100 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Ricoh GR III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.5	1897	83
2.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
4.		Fujifilm X-S10	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2057	85
5.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
6.		Panasonic GX9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1163	74
7.		Panasonic ZS200	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	449	64
8.		Ricoh GR IIIx	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.8	2146	85
9.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
10.		Ricoh GR	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.5	972	78
11.		Sony ZV-1	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.6	669	66
12.		Sony RX100 VI	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	478	64
13.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
14.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
15.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
16.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
17.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The GR III and the A5100 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. That said, the GR III can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the GV-1. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Ricoh GR III and Sony A5100 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Ricoh GR III	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	n	Y
2.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-S10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Panasonic GX9	2760	n	3.0 / 1240	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Panasonic ZS200	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Ricoh GR IIIx	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	n	Y
9.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
10.		Ricoh GR	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony ZV-1	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	n	n
12.		Sony RX100 VI	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
16.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/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 A5100 has one, while the GR III does not. While the built-in flash of the A5100 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Ricoh GR III has 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 GR III writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A5100 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Ricoh GR III and Sony Alpha A5100 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.		Ricoh GR III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-S10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Panasonic GX9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Panasonic ZS200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Ricoh GR IIIx	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Ricoh GR	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony ZV-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony RX100 VI	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the GR III has a hotshoe, while the A5100 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

The GR III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Ricoh. In contrast, the A5100 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the A5100 from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the GR III and A5100 can be found, respectively, in the Ricoh GR III Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A5100 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Ricoh GR III better than the Sony A5100 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Ricoh GR III:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 922k dots).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the A5100 requires a separate lens.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the A5100).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• 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 4 years and 6 months of technical progress since the A5100 launch.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A5100:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (400 versus 200) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2014).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GR III emerges as the winner of the contest (11 : 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Ricoh GR III and the Sony A5100 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the GR III and the A5100 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 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.		Ricoh GR III	4/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	..	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
2.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-S10	5/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	999	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic ZS200	..	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	799	amazon.com
8.		Ricoh GR IIIx	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	..	Sep 2021	999	amazon.com
9.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
10.		Ricoh GR	5/5	..	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	799	ebay.com
11.		Sony ZV-1	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2020	799	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100 VI	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2018	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, 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.

Check GR III price at
amazon.com
Check A5100 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

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Check GR III price at
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