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Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III

Portability
95
Imaging
39
Features
34
Overall
37
Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1 front
 
Ricoh GR Digital III front
Portability
92
Imaging
34
Features
35
Overall
34

Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Key Specs

Panasonic SZ1
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.1-5.9) lens
  • 131g - 99 x 59 x 21mm
  • Revealed January 2012
Ricoh GR Digital III
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 64 - 1600
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 28mm (F1.9) lens
  • 208g - 109 x 59 x 26mm
  • Revealed July 2009
  • Renewed by Ricoh GR Digital IV
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Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Overview

Here is a complete overview of the Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by competitors Panasonic and Ricoh. There exists a substantial gap between the sensor resolutions of the SZ1 (16MP) and GR Digital III (10MP) and the SZ1 (1/2.3") and GR Digital III (1/1.7") provide different sensor measurements.

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The SZ1 was introduced 2 years later than the GR Digital III and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving right into a in depth comparison, here is a short overview of how the SZ1 grades versus the GR Digital III for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Panasonic SZ1 over the Ricoh GR Digital III

 SZ1 GR Digital III 
RevealedJanuary 2012July 2009Fresher by 30 months

Reasons to pick Ricoh GR Digital III over the Panasonic SZ1

 GR Digital III SZ1 
Focus manually Very exact focus
Display resolution920k230kClearer display (+690k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic SZ1 and Ricoh GR Digital III

 SZ1 GR Digital III 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display dimensions3"3"Equal display measurements
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen
Touch friendly display Neither features Touch friendly display

Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Physical Comparison

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic SZ1 enjoys outer dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 131 grams (0.29 lbs) and the Ricoh GR Digital III has proportions of 109mm x 59mm x 26mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") with a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

See the Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you choose at that moment. The following is a front view scale comparison of the SZ1 against the GR Digital III.

Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ1 and GR Digital III is 95 and 92 respectively.

Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III top view buttons comparison

Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Sensor Comparison

Typically, it can be difficult to picture the contrast between sensor sizing just by reading specs. The visual underneath might offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ1 and GR Digital III.

All in all, both of those cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SZ1 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Panasonic SZ1 will offer greater detail using its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The younger SZ1 should have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.

Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III sensor size comparison

Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Panasonic SZ1
Portrait photography with Ricoh GR Digital III
34
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
supports face detect focus
focusing manually not possible
manual mode not available
external flash not possible
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
40
has manual focus
exports RAW files
low resolution (10 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Panasonic SZ1 as a Street photography camera
Ricoh GR Digital III as a Street photography camera
63
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competitors in class (131g)
no articulating screen
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
55
exports RAW files
screen is fixed
lack of image stabilization
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Panasonic SZ1
Sports photography with Ricoh GR Digital III
40
built in image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16MP)
supports tracking focus
very slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority mode
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
17
fixed focal length (28mm)
lack of image stabilization
low resolution (10 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
lacks phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic SZ1 as a Travel photography camera
Ricoh GR Digital III as a Travel photography camera
70
lighter than competitors in class (131 grams)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
decently wide (25mm)
long zoom (250mm)
no Time Lapse recording
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
slow max aperture (f3.1)
63
built-in flash
good maximum aperture (f1.9)
low resolution (10MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Panasonic SZ1
Landscape photography with Ricoh GR Digital III
43
decently wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.1)
manual mode not available
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
no Time Lapse recording
45
has manual focus
good maximum aperture (f1.9)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
exports RAW files
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
fixed focal length (28mm)
lack of image stabilization
low resolution (10MP)
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Panasonic SZ1
Vlogging with Ricoh GR Digital III
32
decently wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect focus
lighter than competitors in class (131 grams)
slow max aperture (f3.1)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
no mic socket
25
good maximum aperture (f1.9)
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
video resolution low (640 x 480 pxls)
does not have mic jack
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Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic SZ1 and Ricoh GR Digital III
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1Ricoh GR Digital III
General Information
Brand Name Panasonic Ricoh
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1 Ricoh GR Digital III
Type Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Compact
Revealed 2012-01-09 2009-07-27
Body design Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor - GR engine III
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/1.7"
Sensor dimensions 6.08 x 4.56mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor surface area 27.7mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 10 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3 and 3:2
Maximum resolution 4608 x 3456 3648 x 2736
Maximum native ISO 6400 1600
Minimum native ISO 100 64
RAW data
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points 23 -
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 25-250mm (10.0x) 28mm (1x)
Max aperture f/3.1-5.9 f/1.9
Macro focus range 4cm 1cm
Focal length multiplier 5.9 4.8
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of display 230 thousand dot 920 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Display technology TFT Color LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (optional)
Features
Lowest shutter speed 8s 1s
Highest shutter speed 1/1600s 1/2000s
Continuous shooting speed 1.0 frames per second -
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 5.60 m 3.00 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, Manual
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 640x480
Video format MPEG-4 -
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
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 131 gr (0.29 lbs) 208 gr (0.46 lbs)
Physical dimensions 99 x 59 x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") 109 x 59 x 26mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around 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 250 images -
Style of battery Battery Pack -
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal SD/SDHC, Internal
Storage slots One One
Price at launch $179 $399