Sony A6500 vs Ricoh GR II
The Sony Alpha A6500 and the Ricoh GR II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in October 2016 and June 2015. The A6500 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the GR II is a fixed lens compact. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Ricoh provides 16.1 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A6500 and the Ricoh GR II? 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
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Sony A6500 and the Ricoh GR II is provided 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 measures 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 II is notably smaller (8 percent) than the Sony A6500. It is worth mentioning in this context that the A6500 is splash and dust resistant, while the GR II does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the GR II has a lens built in, whereas the A6500 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 A6500 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.
Concerning battery life, the A6500 gets 350 shots out of its Sony NP-FW50 battery, while the GR II can take 320 images on a single charge of its Ricoh DB-65 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A6500 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 53 mm | 453 g | 350 | Y | Oct 2016 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
2. | Ricoh GR II | 117 mm | 63 mm | 35 mm | 251 g | 320 | n | Jun 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon G7 X | 103 mm | 60 mm | 40 mm | 304 g | 210 | n | Sep 2014 | 699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Fujifilm X70 | 113 mm | 64 mm | 44 mm | 340 g | 330 | n | Jan 2016 | 799 | ebay.com | |
5. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | 141 mm | 83 mm | 46 mm | 495 g | 350 | Y | Jan 2016 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus PEN-F | 125 mm | 72 mm | 37 mm | 427 g | 330 | n | Jan 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
7. | Panasonic GX8 | 133 mm | 78 mm | 63 mm | 487 g | 330 | Y | Jul 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
8. | Panasonic GM5 | 99 mm | 60 mm | 36 mm | 211 g | 220 | n | Sep 2014 | 749 | ebay.com | |
9. | Ricoh GR | 117 mm | 61 mm | 35 mm | 245 g | 290 | n | Apr 2013 | 799 | ebay.com | |
10. | Sony A6700 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 64 mm | 493 g | 570 | Y | Jul 2023 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
11. | Sony A6400 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 50 mm | 403 g | 410 | Y | Jan 2019 | 899 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A6600 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 69 mm | 503 g | 810 | Y | Aug 2019 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A6300 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 49 mm | 404 g | 400 | Y | Feb 2016 | 999 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A77 II | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 647 g | 480 | Y | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony RX100 III | 102 mm | 58 mm | 41 mm | 290 g | 320 | n | May 2014 | 799 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A77 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 732 g | 470 | Y | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony NEX-7 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 43 mm | 400 g | 430 | n | Aug 2011 | 1,349 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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. The GR II was launched at a lower price than the A6500, despite having a lens built in. 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 II is 1 percent bigger. 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 Sony A6500 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the Ricoh GR II. 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 4.79μm for the GR II). However, it should be noted that the A6500 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 3 months) than the GR II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the GR II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A6500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A6500 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 II 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 A6500 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Sony Alpha A6500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Ricoh GR II 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"). Of the two cameras under review, the A6500 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the GR II (overall score 5 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.9 bits higher color depth, and 0.4 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A6500 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.5 | 13.7 | 1405 | 85 | |
2. | Ricoh GR II | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/30p | 23.6 | 13.7 | 1078 | 80 | |
3. | Canon G7 X | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 23.0 | 12.7 | 556 | 71 | |
4. | Fujifilm X70 | APS-C | 16.0 | 4896 | 3264 | 1080/60p | 23.7 | 13.0 | 1608 | 80 | |
5. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.7 | 13.0 | 1608 | 80 | |
6. | Olympus PEN-F | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.4 | 894 | 74 | |
7. | Panasonic GX8 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.5 | 12.6 | 806 | 75 | |
8. | Panasonic GM5 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 1080/60p | 22.1 | 11.7 | 721 | 66 | |
9. | Ricoh GR | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/30p | 23.6 | 13.5 | 972 | 78 | |
10. | Sony A6700 | APS-C | 25.6 | 6192 | 4128 | 4K/120p | 24.3 | 14.0 | 2329 | 86 | |
11. | Sony A6400 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 13.6 | 1431 | 83 | |
12. | Sony A6600 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 23.8 | 13.4 | 1497 | 82 | |
13. | Sony A6300 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.4 | 13.7 | 1437 | 85 | |
14. | Sony A77 II | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 13.4 | 1013 | 82 | |
15. | Sony RX100 III | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 22.4 | 12.3 | 495 | 67 | |
16. | Sony A77 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.0 | 13.2 | 801 | 78 | |
17. | Sony NEX-7 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60i | 24.1 | 13.4 | 1016 | 81 | |
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 also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the A6500 provides a higher video resolution than the GR II. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, 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 A6500 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the GR II relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the GR II can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the GV-1. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A6500 and Ricoh GR II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
# | 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. | Sony A6500 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Ricoh GR II | optional | n | 3.0 / 1230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
3. | Canon G7 X | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 6.5/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Fujifilm X70 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1620 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | n | n | |
6. | Olympus PEN-F | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
7. | Panasonic GX8 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
8. | Panasonic GM5 | 1166 | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | Y | 1/500s | 5.8/s | n | n | |
9. | Ricoh GR | optional | n | 3.0 / 1230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Sony A6700 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | n | Y | |
11. | Sony A6400 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Sony A6600 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | n | Y | |
13. | Sony A6300 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
14. | Sony A77 II | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony RX100 III | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A77 | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 921 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony NEX-7 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 921 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | Y | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The A6500 has a touchscreen, while the GR II has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.
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 A6500 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 Ricoh GR II 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 A6500 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the GR II 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 Sony Alpha A6500 and Ricoh GR II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A6500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
2. | Ricoh GR II | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
3. | Canon G7 X | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
4. | Fujifilm X70 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
5. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
6. | Olympus PEN-F | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
7. | Panasonic GX8 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
8. | Panasonic GM5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
9. | Ricoh GR | Y | mono / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Sony A6700 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | YES | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
11. | Sony A6400 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
12. | Sony A6600 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | YES | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony A6300 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
14. | Sony A77 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
15. | Sony RX100 III | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony A77 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Sony NEX-7 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the A6500 has a microphone port, which is missing on the GR II. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.
Both the A6500 and the GR II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The GR II was replaced by the Ricoh GR III, while the A6500 was followed by the Sony A6600. Further information on the features and operation of the A6500 and GR II can be found, respectively, in the Sony A6500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Ricoh GR II Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Sony A6500 or the Ricoh GR II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Advantages of the Sony Alpha A6500:
- More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 16.1MP) with a 22% higher linear resolution.
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (5 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.4 stops ISO advantage).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- 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.
- Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 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.
- Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 3 months after the GR II).
Reasons to prefer the Ricoh GR II:
- 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 922k dots).
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the A6500 necessitates an extra lens.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the A6500).
- More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in June 2015).
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A6500 is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 7 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 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 Sony A6500 and the Ricoh GR II 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 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 A6500 and the GR II in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.
Expert reviews
This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A6500 | 5/5 | + + | 3.5/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2016 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
2. | Ricoh GR II | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon G7 X | 4/5 | + + | .. | 77/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Fujifilm X70 | 4.5/5 | .. | .. | 76/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2016 | 799 | ebay.com | |
5. | Fujifilm X-Pro2 | .. | + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus PEN-F | .. | .. | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
7. | Panasonic GX8 | 5/5 | + | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2015 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
8. | Panasonic GM5 | 3.5/5 | + | .. | 77/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 749 | ebay.com | |
9. | Ricoh GR | 5/5 | .. | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2013 | 799 | ebay.com | |
10. | Sony A6700 | 4.5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 88/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2023 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
11. | Sony A6400 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2019 | 899 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A6600 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2019 | 1,399 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A6300 | 4.5/5 | + | .. | 85/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2016 | 999 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A77 II | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony RX100 III | 5/5 | + + | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2014 | 799 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A77 | 5/5 | 91/100 | .. | 81/100 | .. | 5/5 | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony NEX-7 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 81/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2011 | 1,349 | 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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price 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, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
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.
- Canon 760D vs Ricoh GR II
- Canon 77D vs Sony A6500
- Canon G7 X vs Sony A6500
- Canon T6 vs Ricoh GR II
- Fujifilm X-A10 vs Ricoh GR II
- Fujifilm X70 vs Ricoh GR II
- Nikon D3100 vs Sony A6500
- Nikon D7200 vs Sony A6500
- Olympus E-P7 vs Sony A6500
- Pentax K-3 vs Sony A6500
- Ricoh GR II vs Sony NEX-7
- Ricoh GR II vs Sony RX1R
Specifications: Sony A6500 vs Ricoh GR II
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Sony A6500 | Ricoh GR II |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Fixed lens compact camera |
Camera Lens | Sony E mount lenses | 28mm f/2.8 |
Launch Date | October 2016 | June 2015 |
Launch Price | USD 1,399 | USD 699 |
Sensor Specs | Sony A6500 | Ricoh GR II |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 23.5 x 15.6 mm | 23.7 x 15.6 mm |
Sensor Area | 366.6 mm2 | 369.72 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.2 mm | 28.4 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | 16.1 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 4928 x 3264 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 3.91 μm | 4.79 μm |
Pixel Density | 6.55 MP/cm2 | 4.35 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 1080/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 25,600 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 51,200 ISO | no Enhancement |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | GR Engine V |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 85 | 80 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 24.5 | 23.6 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.7 | 13.7 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1405 | 1078 |
Screen Specs | Sony A6500 | Ricoh GR II |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Viewfinder optional |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.70x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2359k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 922k dots | 1230k dots |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Fixed screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | no Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Sony A6500 | Ricoh GR II |
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | no Peaking Feature |
Continuous Shooting | 11 shutter flaps/s | 4 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | YES | no E-Shutter |
Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | no handshake reduction |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | UHS-I | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Sony A6500 | Ricoh GR II |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | no MIC socket |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | NFC built-in |
Body Specs | Sony A6500 | Ricoh GR II |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | not weather sealed |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FW50 | Ricoh DB-65 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 350 shots per charge | 320 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
120 x 67 x 53 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 2.1 in) |
117 x 63 x 35 mm (4.6 x 2.5 x 1.4 in) |
Camera Weight | 453 g (16.0 oz) | 251 g (8.9 oz) |
Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.