Olympus E-M1 II vs Ricoh GR II

Here, we are matching up the Olympus E-M1 II vs Ricoh GR II, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Ricoh. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the E-M1 II (20MP) and GR II (16MP) and the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and GR II (APS-C) offer totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 II was released 16 months later than the GR II making them a generation apart from each other. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Ricoh GR II being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the E-M1 II scores against the GR II when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Ricoh GR II. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 II Gallery and Ricoh GR II Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera regularly, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-M1 II has outside dimensions of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") and a weight of 574 grams (1.27 lbs) whilst the Ricoh GR II has proportions of 117mm x 63mm x 35mm (4.6" x 2.5" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 251 grams (0.55 lbs).

See the Olympus E-M1 II vs Ricoh GR II in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at that moment. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the E-M1 II vs the GR II.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-M1 II and GR II is 68 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizing simply by viewing technical specs. The visual below will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 II and GR II.

As you have seen, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-M1 II because of its smaller sensor will make achieving bokeh trickier and the Olympus E-M1 II will provide you with more detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more modern E-M1 II will have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.