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Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV

Portability
93
Imaging
33
Features
10
Overall
23
Canon PowerShot A490 front
 
Ricoh GR Digital IV front
Portability
92
Imaging
35
Features
47
Overall
39

Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Key Specs

Canon A490
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 37-122mm (F3.0-5.8) lens
  • 175g - 94 x 62 x 31mm
  • Announced January 2010
Ricoh GR Digital IV
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 28mm (F1.9) lens
  • 190g - 109 x 59 x 33mm
  • Revealed September 2011
  • Replaced the Ricoh GR Digital III
Photography Glossary

Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Overview

On this page, we will be looking at the Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by rivals Canon and Ricoh. The resolution of the A490 (10MP) and the GR Digital IV (10MP) is pretty well matched but the A490 (1/2.3") and GR Digital IV (1/1.7") offer totally different sensor sizing.

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The A490 was brought out 20 months earlier than the GR Digital IV which makes them a generation away from one another. Both cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before delving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a concise summation of how the A490 scores against the GR Digital IV with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Canon A490 over the Ricoh GR Digital IV

 A490 GR Digital IV 

Reasons to pick Ricoh GR Digital IV over the Canon A490

 GR Digital IV A490 
RevealedSeptember 2011January 2010Newer by 20 months
Manual focus Dial accurate focusing
Screen dimensions3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution1230k115kSharper screen (+1115k dot)

Common features in the Canon A490 and Ricoh GR Digital IV

 A490 GR Digital IV 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Neither offers Touch friendly screen

Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Physical Comparison

If you're going to travel with your camera frequently, you need to factor its weight and measurements. The Canon A490 offers outside measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") with a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Ricoh GR Digital IV has proportions of 109mm x 59mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 190 grams (0.42 lbs).

Check the Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the A490 against the GR Digital IV.

Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A490 and GR Digital IV is 93 and 92 respectively.

Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV top view buttons comparison

Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it's hard to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by checking specs. The picture below should give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the A490 and GR Digital IV.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras provide the same megapixels albeit not the same sensor dimensions. The A490 offers the tinier sensor which should make achieving shallower DOF trickier. The more aged A490 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.

Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV sensor size comparison

Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Screen and ViewFinder

Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Canon A490
Portrait photography with Ricoh GR Digital IV
19
no manual focus
no manual exposure
cannot use external flash
sensor resolution low (10MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
41
has manual focus
supports RAW files
low resolution sensor (10MP)
very small sensor size (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Canon A490
Street photography with Ricoh GR Digital IV
46
screen is fixed
lack of image stabilization
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
65
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports RAW files
fixed screen
very small sensor size (1/1.7")
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Sports Comparison

Canon A490 Sports photography highlights
Ricoh GR Digital IV Sports photography highlights
16
continuous shooting slow (1.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority
lack of image stabilization
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect autofocus
34
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
great battery pack (390 CIPA)
fixed focal length (28mm)
low resolution sensor (10 megapixels)
very small sensor size (1/1.7")
no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Canon A490 Travel photography features
Ricoh GR Digital IV Travel photography features
50
has built in flash
no Time Lapse function
sensor resolution low (10MP)
screen isn't selfie friendly
wide angle not good (37mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
67
great battery pack (390 CIPA)
flash built-in
good maximum aperture (f1.9)
low resolution sensor (10 megapixels)
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Canon A490 Landscape photography advice
Ricoh GR Digital IV Landscape photography advice
22
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not good (37mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
screen is somewhat small (2.5 inches)
no manual exposure
lack of image stabilization
sensor resolution low (10MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
no Time Lapse function
53
has manual focus
good maximum aperture (f1.9)
screen is a decent size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports RAW files
great battery pack (390 CIPA)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
fixed focal length (28mm)
low resolution sensor (10 megapixels)
very small sensor size (1/1.7")
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon A490 Vlogging features
Ricoh GR Digital IV Vlogging features
21
wide angle not good (37mm)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
screen isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
low video resolution (640 x 480 pixels)
no mic support
29
good maximum aperture (f1.9)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
screen isn't selfie friendly
low res video (640 x 480 resolution)
lack of external mic jack
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Canon A490 vs Ricoh GR Digital IV Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon A490 and Ricoh GR Digital IV
 Canon PowerShot A490Ricoh GR Digital IV
General Information
Brand Canon Ricoh
Model Canon PowerShot A490 Ricoh GR Digital IV
Class Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Compact
Announced 2010-01-05 2011-09-15
Body design Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/1.7"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 10MP 10MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3 and 3:2
Peak resolution 3648 x 2736 3648 x 2736
Highest native ISO 1600 3200
Min native ISO 80 80
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Number of focus points 5 -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 37-122mm (3.3x) 28mm (1x)
Maximal aperture f/3.0-5.8 f/1.9
Macro focus distance 1cm 1cm
Crop factor 5.8 4.8
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen size 2.5 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 115k dot 1,230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical (optional)
Features
Min shutter speed 15 seconds 1 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 1.0fps -
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 3.00 m 3.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Manual
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Highest video resolution 640x480 640x480
Video format Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 175 gr (0.39 lb) 190 gr (0.42 lb)
Physical dimensions 94 x 62 x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") 109 x 59 x 33mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 390 shots
Style of battery - Battery Pack
Battery model 2 x AA DB65
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom, Face) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage SC/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus/HC MMCplus SD/SDHC, Internal
Storage slots Single Single
Price at release $99 $599