Ricoh GR Digital III vs Sony A700

In this article, we are evaluating the Ricoh GR Digital III vs Sony A700, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Ricoh and Sony. The image resolution of the GR Digital III (10MP) and the A700 (12MP) is fairly close but the GR Digital III (1/1.7") and A700 (APS-C) come with different sensor measurements.

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The GR Digital III was unveiled 20 months later than the A700 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. The two cameras offer different body type with the Ricoh GR Digital III being a Compact camera and the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going through a complete comparison, below is a short view of how the GR Digital III grades against the A700 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Ricoh GR Digital III and Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. The full galleries are available at Ricoh GR Digital III Gallery and Sony A700 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Ricoh GR Digital III has physical dimensions 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 A700 has measurements of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") along with a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs).

Compare the Ricoh GR Digital III vs Sony A700 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you use at the time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the GR Digital III and the A700.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the GR Digital III and A700 is 92 and 58 respectively.

In many cases, it is hard to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements merely by looking through a spec sheet. The visual below might give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the GR Digital III and A700.

Clearly, both of those cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The GR Digital III with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Sony A700 will render greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop pics far more aggressively. The more modern GR Digital III provides an advantage with regard to sensor tech.