Olympus SZ-11 vs Ricoh GR

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus SZ-11 versus Ricoh GR, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Ricoh. The image resolution of the SZ-11 (14MP) and the GR (16MP) is relatively well matched but the SZ-11 (1/2.3") and GR (APS-C) come with totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-11 was launched 21 months before the GR which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera and the Ricoh GR being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple overview of how the SZ-11 matches up versus the GR for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-11 and Ricoh GR. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-11 Gallery and Ricoh GR Gallery.

If you're planning to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-11 provides outer measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Ricoh GR has measurements of 117mm x 61mm x 35mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.4") and a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SZ-11 versus Ricoh GR in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at that moment. Following is the front view size comparison of the SZ-11 compared to the GR.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-11 and GR is 89 and 90 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to envision the gap between sensor sizes only by checking technical specs. The pic below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-11 and GR.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SZ-11 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Ricoh GR will give you more detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures much more aggressively. The more aged SZ-11 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.