Olympus 1s vs Ricoh GR Digital IV

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus 1s and Ricoh GR Digital IV, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Ricoh. The sensor resolution of the 1s (12MP) and the GR Digital IV (10MP) is very close and they feature the same exact sensor measurements (1/1.7").

Photography Glossary

The 1s was launched 3 years after the GR Digital IV which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus 1s being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Ricoh GR Digital IV being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a more detailed comparison, below is a simple summation of how the 1s grades versus the GR Digital IV in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 1s and Ricoh GR Digital IV. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus 1s Gallery and Ricoh GR Digital IV Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera often, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus 1s enjoys external dimensions of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") accompanied by a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) and the Ricoh GR Digital IV has sizing of 109mm x 59mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.3") having a weight of 190 grams (0.42 lbs).

Compare the Olympus 1s and Ricoh GR Digital IV in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the 1s and the GR Digital IV.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the 1s and GR Digital IV is 79 and 92 respectively.

Usually, it's tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes only by researching technical specs. The image underneath may give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the 1s and GR Digital IV.

As you can tell, both cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same MP. You should expect to see the Olympus 1s to render more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will help you crop pics far more aggressively. The more modern 1s is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.