Canon A3100 IS vs Ricoh GR Digital IV

Lets look a little more in depth at the Canon A3100 IS and Ricoh GR Digital IV, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by competitors Canon and Ricoh. The resolution of the A3100 IS (12MP) and the GR Digital IV (10MP) is fairly close but the A3100 IS (1/2.3") and GR Digital IV (1/1.7") use different sensor sizing.

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The A3100 IS was manufactured 20 months earlier than the GR Digital IV making the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a short view of how the A3100 IS scores versus the GR Digital IV in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot A3100 IS and Ricoh GR Digital IV. The entire galleries are available at Canon A3100 IS Gallery and Ricoh GR Digital IV Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry your camera often, you'll have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Canon A3100 IS enjoys exterior dimensions of 97mm x 58mm x 28mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Ricoh GR Digital IV has dimensions of 109mm x 59mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.3") having a weight of 190 grams (0.42 lbs).

Check the Canon A3100 IS and Ricoh GR Digital IV in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached at the time. The following is the front view size comparison of the A3100 IS compared to the GR Digital IV.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A3100 IS and GR Digital IV is 94 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizing purely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic below will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the A3100 IS and GR Digital IV.

As you can see, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The A3100 IS due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Canon A3100 IS will result in more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images much more aggressively. The older A3100 IS will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.