Ricoh GR vs Sony NEX-7

The Ricoh GR and the Sony Alpha NEX-7 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2013 and August 2011. The GR is a fixed lens compact, while the NEX-7 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Ricoh has a resolution of 16.1 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Ricoh GR		Sony NEX-7
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
28mm f/2.8		Sony E mount lenses
16.1 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-16,000
Viewfinder optional		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1230k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
4 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
290 shots per battery charge		430 shots per battery charge
117 x 61 x 35 mm, 245 g		120 x 67 x 43 mm, 400 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Ricoh GR and the Sony Alpha NEX-7? 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 Ricoh GR and the Sony NEX-7 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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 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 Sony NEX-7 is notably larger (13 percent) than the Ricoh GR. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the GR nor the NEX-7 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the GR has a lens built in, whereas the NEX-7 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 NEX-7 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the GR gets 290 shots out of its Ricoh DB-65 battery, while the NEX-7 can take 430 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the GR can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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	Street Price
1.		Ricoh GR	117 mm	61 mm	35 mm	245 g	290	n	Apr 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
2.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	EUR 649	ebay.com
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	111 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	230	n	Mar 2013	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	EUR 899	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic GM1	99 mm	55 mm	30 mm	204 g	230	n	Oct 2013	EUR 699	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic GM5	99 mm	60 mm	36 mm	211 g	220	n	Sep 2014	EUR 799	ebay.com
8.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	EUR 799	ebay.com
9.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	EUR 299	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	EUR 549	ebay.com
11.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	EUR 1 049	amazon.com
12.		Sony NEX-5R	111 mm	59 mm	39 mm	276 g	330	n	Aug 2012	EUR 699	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-5T	111 mm	59 mm	39 mm	276 g	330	n	Aug 2013	EUR 699	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-6	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	345 g	360	n	Sep 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX1	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Sep 2012	EUR 3 099	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	EUR 849	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The GR was launched at a lower price than the NEX-7, despite having a lens built in. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the NEX-7 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 NEX-7 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the GR. 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 3.90μm versus 4.79μm for the GR). Moreover, it should be noted that the GR is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 7 months) than the NEX-7, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the GR has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony NEX-7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the NEX-7 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 Ricoh GR 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 Ricoh GR has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha NEX-7 are ISO 100 to ISO 16000 (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 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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. 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	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.5	972	78
2.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
3.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.4	13.8	1164	80
5.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
6.		Panasonic GM1	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	22.3	11.7	660	66
7.		Panasonic GM5	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.1	11.7	721	66
8.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
9.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
10.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
11.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
12.		Sony NEX-5R	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	910	78
13.		Sony NEX-5T	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60p	23.6	13.0	1015	78
14.		Sony NEX-6	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	1018	78
15.		Sony RX1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.1	14.3	2534	93
16.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
17.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the NEX-7 provides a faster frame rate than the GR. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60i, while the Ricoh is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the NEX-7 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the GR relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the GR can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the GV-1. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Ricoh GR and Sony NEX-7 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	optional	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/2000s	4.0/s	Y	n
5.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Panasonic GM1	none	n	3.0 / 1036	fixed	Y	1/500s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Panasonic GM5	1166	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	n	n
8.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
9.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
10.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony NEX-5R	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony NEX-5T	optional	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony NEX-6	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony RX1	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Ricoh GR 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 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the NEX-7 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The GR supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the NEX-7 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 and Sony Alpha NEX-7 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	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Panasonic GM1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Panasonic GM5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Sony NEX-5R	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Sony NEX-5T	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony NEX-6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony RX1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the NEX-7 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The GR does not feature such a mic input.

Both the GR and the NEX-7 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The GR was replaced by the Ricoh GR II, while the NEX-7 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the GR and NEX-7 can be found, respectively, in the Ricoh GR Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony NEX-7 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Ricoh GR better than the Sony NEX-7 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Ricoh GR:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 921k dots).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the NEX-7 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (117x61mm vs 120x67mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the NEX-7).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 7 months after the NEX-7).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha NEX-7:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 16.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 22%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 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 (430 versus 290) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2011).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (10 points each). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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 Ricoh GR and the Sony NEX-7 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the GR and the NEX-7 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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	Street Price
1.		Ricoh GR	5/5	..	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
2.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 649	ebay.com
4.		Nikon Coolpix A	4/5	+	..	75/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	EUR 899	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic GM1	3/5	+	..	78/100	5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	EUR 699	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic GM5	3.5/5	+	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 799	ebay.com
8.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	EUR 799	ebay.com
9.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	EUR 299	ebay.com
10.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 549	ebay.com
11.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	EUR 1 049	amazon.com
12.		Sony NEX-5R	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2012	EUR 699	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-5T	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	EUR 699	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-6	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX1	5/5	..	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 3 099	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	EUR 849	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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. 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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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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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