Ricoh GR Digital III vs Sony TX9

Its time to look more closely at the Ricoh GR Digital III and Sony TX9, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Ultracompact by rivals Ricoh and Sony. The image resolution of the GR Digital III (10MP) and the TX9 (12MP) is relatively well matched but the GR Digital III (1/1.7") and TX9 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The GR Digital III was introduced 11 months before the TX9 which means that they are of a similar age. Both the cameras have different body design with the Ricoh GR Digital III being a Compact camera and the Sony TX9 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting straight to a in depth comparison, here is a short summary of how the GR Digital III scores versus the TX9 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Ricoh GR Digital III & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX9. The whole galleries are available at Ricoh GR Digital III Gallery & Sony TX9 Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Ricoh GR Digital III enjoys physical measurements of 109mm x 59mm x 26mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") having a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs) while the Sony TX9 has dimensions of 98mm x 60mm x 18mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 0.7") having a weight of 149 grams (0.33 lbs).

Take a look at the Ricoh GR Digital III and Sony TX9 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the GR Digital III vs the TX9.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the GR Digital III and TX9 is 92 and 95 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to see the gap between sensor dimensions just by checking a spec sheet. The picture below might provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the GR Digital III and TX9.

As you can see, each of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The GR Digital III having a bigger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Sony TX9 will give you extra detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged GR Digital III is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.