Ricoh GR III vs Sony ZV-E10 II

The Ricoh GR III and the Sony ZV-E10 II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2019 and July 2024. The GR III is a fixed lens compact, while the ZV-E10 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Ricoh has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 25.6 MP.

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 ZV-E10 II
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
28mm f/2.8		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		25.6 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-102,400		ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
Viewfinder optional		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 1036k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
4 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
200 shots per battery charge		610 shots per battery charge
109 x 62 x 33 mm, 257 g		115 x 68 x 54 mm, 377 g

Check GR III price at
amazon.com
Check ZV-E10 II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Ricoh GR III and the Sony ZV-E10 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 III and the Sony ZV-E10 II. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The ZV-E10 II 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 ZV-E10 II is notably larger (16 percent) than the Ricoh GR III. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the GR III nor the ZV-E10 II 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 ZV-E10 II 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 ZV-E10 II 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 ZV-E10 II can take 610 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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 III	109 mm	62 mm	33 mm	257 g	200	n	Feb 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10 II	115 mm	68 mm	54 mm	377 g	610	n	Jul 2024	US$ 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-S10	126 mm	85 mm	65 mm	465 g	325	n	Oct 2020	US$ 999	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	US$ 849	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic ZS200	111 mm	65 mm	45 mm	340 g	370	n	Feb 2018	US$ 799	amazon.com
8.		Ricoh GR	117 mm	61 mm	35 mm	245 g	290	n	Apr 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
9.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
10.		Ricoh GR IIIx	109 mm	62 mm	35 mm	262 g	200	n	Sep 2021	US$ 999	amazon.com
11.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-6	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	345 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 VI	102 mm	58 mm	43 mm	301 g	240	n	Jun 2018	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
16.		Sony ZV-1	105 mm	60 mm	44 mm	294 g	260	n	May 2020	US$ 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.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 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 III was launched at a lower price than the ZV-E10 II, 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 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 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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the ZV-E10 II offers a slightly higher resolution of 25.6 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the GR III. This megapixels advantage translates into a 3 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the ZV-E10 II has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.79μm versus 3.91μm for the GR III). However, it should be noted that the ZV-E10 II is much more recent (by 5 years and 4 months) than the GR III, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. 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 ZV-E10 II are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the GR III is build around a CMOS sensor, while the ZV-E10 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 ZV-E10 II	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/60p	24.3	14.1	2429	86
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	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.5	972	78
9.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
10.		Ricoh GR IIIx	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.8	2146	85
11.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
12.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
13.		Sony NEX-6	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.7	13.1	1018	78
14.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
15.		Sony RX100 VI	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.3	478	64
16.		Sony ZV-1	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.6	669	66
17.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the ZV-E10 II provides a better video resolution than the GR III. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Ricoh is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The GR III and the ZV-E10 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. That said, the GR III can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the GV-1. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Ricoh GR III and Sony ZV-E10 II 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 III	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	n	Y
2.		Sony ZV-E10 II	none	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	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	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
9.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
10.		Ricoh GR IIIx	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	n	Y
11.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony NEX-6	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony RX100 VI	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony ZV-1	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 ZV-E10 II 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 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 ZV-E10 II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The ZV-E10 II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the GR III can use UHS-I cards (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 ZV-E10 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 III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony ZV-E10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	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	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Ricoh GR IIIx	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	3.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony NEX-6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony RX100 VI	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony ZV-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the ZV-E10 II has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The GR III does not feature such a mic input.

Both the GR III and the ZV-E10 II are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The GR III replaced the earlier Ricoh GR II, while the ZV-E10 II followed on from the Sony ZV-E10. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Ricoh and Sony websites.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Ricoh GR III better than the Sony ZV-E10 II or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of 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.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the ZV-E10 II requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (109x62mm vs 115x68mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the ZV-E10 II).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2019).

Arguments in favor of the Sony ZV-E10 II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/60p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• 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.
• 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: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (610 versus 200) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 4 months of technical progress since the GR III launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the ZV-E10 II is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 9 points). 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 III and the Sony ZV-E10 II 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the GR III and the ZV-E10 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 why expert reviews are important. 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 III	4/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	..	Feb 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-S10	5/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 999	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 849	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic ZS200	..	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 799	amazon.com
8.		Ricoh GR	5/5	..	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 799	ebay.com
9.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 699	ebay.com
10.		Ricoh GR IIIx	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	..	Sep 2021	US$ 999	amazon.com
11.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-6	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 VI	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2018	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
16.		Sony ZV-1	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2020	US$ 799	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check GR III price at
amazon.com
Check ZV-E10 II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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Check GR III price at
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