Ricoh GR Digital III vs Sony A350

In this write-up, we are looking at the Ricoh GR Digital III and Sony A350, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Ricoh and Sony. There is a huge difference between the resolutions of the GR Digital III (10MP) and A350 (14MP) and the GR Digital III (1/1.7") and A350 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor size.

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The GR Digital III was revealed 14 months after the A350 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Ricoh GR Digital III being a Compact camera and the Sony A350 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving through a in-depth comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the GR Digital III scores vs the A350 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Ricoh GR Digital III and Sony Alpha DSLR-A350. The full galleries are viewable at Ricoh GR Digital III Gallery and Sony A350 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to travel with your camera, you'll need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Ricoh GR Digital III provides exterior measurements of 109mm x 59mm x 26mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") having a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs) whilst the Sony A350 has dimensions of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") having a weight of 674 grams (1.49 lbs).

Analyze the Ricoh GR Digital III and Sony A350 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the GR Digital III and the A350.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the GR Digital III and A350 is 92 and 62 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions just by reading a spec sheet. The image below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the GR Digital III and A350.

As you can see, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The GR Digital III using its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Sony A350 will deliver extra detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos far more aggressively. The newer GR Digital III will have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.