Ricoh GR II vs Sony RX100 II

The Ricoh GR II and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in June 2015 and June 2013. Both the GR II and the RX100 II are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on an APS-C (GR II) and an one-inch (RX100 II) sensor. The Ricoh has a resolution of 16.1 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Ricoh GR II		Sony RX100 II
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
28mm f/2.8		28-100mm f/1.8-4.9
16.1 MP – APS-C sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Viewfinder optional		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 1230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
4 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
320 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
117 x 63 x 35 mm, 251 g		102 x 58 x 38 mm, 281 g

Check GR II offers at
ebay.com
Check RX100 II offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Ricoh GR II and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Ricoh GR II and the Sony RX100 II. 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 Sony RX100 II is notably smaller (20 percent) than the Ricoh GR II. However, the RX100 II is markedly heavier (12 percent) than the GR II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the GR II nor the RX100 II are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the GR II gets 320 shots out of its Ricoh DB-65 battery, while the RX100 II can take 350 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 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. 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.

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 II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X70	113 mm	64 mm	44 mm	340 g	330	n	Jan 2016	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic GM5	99 mm	60 mm	36 mm	211 g	220	n	Sep 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
6.		Ricoh GR	117 mm	61 mm	35 mm	245 g	290	n	Apr 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
8.		Sony NEX-5	111 mm	59 mm	38 mm	287 g	330	n	May 2010	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Sony NEX-5N	111 mm	59 mm	38 mm	269 g	460	n	Aug 2011	US$ 699	ebay.com
10.		Sony NEX-5R	111 mm	59 mm	39 mm	276 g	330	n	Aug 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-C3	110 mm	60 mm	33 mm	225 g	400	n	Jun 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	240 g	330	n	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 VII	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	302 g	260	n	Jul 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
15.		Sony ZV-1	105 mm	60 mm	44 mm	294 g	260	n	May 2020	US$ 799	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The GR II was somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the RX100 II at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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. 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Ricoh GR II features an APS-C sensor and the Sony RX100 II an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the RX100 II is 69 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the RX100 II offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the 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 2.41μm versus 4.79μm for the GR II). Moreover, it should be noted that the GR II is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the RX100 II, 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 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony RX100 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the RX100 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 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 Ricoh GR II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the GR II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the RX100 II uses a BSI-CMOS imager. 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 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 GR II provides substantially higher image quality than the RX100 II, with an overall score that is 13 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.1 bits higher color depth, 1.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.2 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.

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 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
2.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
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.		Panasonic GM5	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60p	22.1	11.7	721	66
6.		Ricoh GR	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.5	972	78
7.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
8.		Sony NEX-5	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	1080/60i	22.2	12.2	796	69
9.		Sony NEX-5N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.6	12.7	1079	77
10.		Sony NEX-5R	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	910	78
11.		Sony NEX-C3	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	720/30p	22.7	12.2	1083	73
12.		Sony RX100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.6	12.4	390	66
13.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
14.		Sony RX100 VII	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.8	12.4	418	63
15.		Sony ZV-1	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.6	669	66
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the RX100 II provides a faster frame rate than the GR II. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Ricoh is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The GR II and the RX100 II 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 GV-1 for the GR II and the FDA-EV1MK for the RX100 II – are available as accessories. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Ricoh GR II and Sony RX100 II 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 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
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.		Panasonic GM5	1166	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	Y	1/500s	5.8/s	n	n
6.		Ricoh GR	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
7.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
8.		Sony NEX-5	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
9.		Sony NEX-5N	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
10.		Sony NEX-5R	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
11.		Sony NEX-C3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
12.		Sony RX100	none	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony RX100 VII	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	Y	1/2000s	90.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony ZV-1	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 RX100 II is equipped with a zoom lens, while the GR II comes with a built-in prime. The RX100 II has a 28-100mm f/1.8-4.9 optic and the GR II offers a 28mm f/2.8 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Ricoh and Sony provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Sony has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The RX100 II offers the faster maximum aperture.

The GR II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the RX100 II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The GR II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the RX100 II 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 II and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II 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 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Sony RX100 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.		Panasonic GM5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Ricoh GR	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Sony NEX-5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Sony NEX-5N	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Sony NEX-5R	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Sony NEX-C3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony RX100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony RX100 VII	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony ZV-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

Both the GR II and the RX100 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The RX100 II was replaced by the Sony RX100 III, while the GR II was followed by the Ricoh GR III. Further information on the features and operation of the GR II and RX100 II can be found, respectively, in the Ricoh GR II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony RX100 II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Ricoh GR II or the Sony RX100 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 Ricoh GR II:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (13 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (1.1 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.3 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1.2 stops ISO advantage).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 30g or 11 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 11 months after the RX100 II).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 16.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 11%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• 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.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/1.8 vs f/2.8).
• More compact: Is smaller (102x58mm vs 117x63mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in June 2013).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the GR II comes out slightly ahead of the RX100 II (10 : 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 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 II and the Sony RX100 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best Travel-Zoom 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 II and the RX100 II in practical situations. 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 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.

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 II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
2.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 749	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X70	4.5/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Panasonic GM5	3.5/5	+	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
6.		Ricoh GR	5/5	..	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
7.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
8.		Sony NEX-5	3/5	+ +	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Sony NEX-5N	3/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 699	ebay.com
10.		Sony NEX-5R	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2012	US$ 749	ebay.com
11.		Sony NEX-C3	3/5	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Sony RX100	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4/5	5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 649	ebay.com
13.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
14.		Sony RX100 VII	4.5/5	..	4/5	..	4/5	5/5	Jul 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
15.		Sony ZV-1	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2020	US$ 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, 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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check GR II offers at
ebay.com
Check RX100 II offers at
ebay.com

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.

~

Check GR II offers at
ebay.com
Check RX100 II offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.