Ricoh GR Digital IV vs Sony S980

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Ricoh GR Digital IV versus Sony S980, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by manufacturers Ricoh and Sony. The sensor resolution of the GR Digital IV (10MP) and the S980 (12MP) is fairly close but the GR Digital IV (1/1.7") and S980 (1/2.3") provide different sensor measurements.

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The GR Digital IV was brought out 2 years after the S980 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before delving right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the GR Digital IV matches up versus the S980 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Ricoh GR Digital IV & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The entire galleries are viewable at Ricoh GR Digital IV Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Ricoh GR Digital IV offers physical dimensions of 109mm x 59mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 190 grams (0.42 lbs) whilst the Sony S980 has dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Contrast the Ricoh GR Digital IV versus Sony S980 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at the time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the GR Digital IV vs the S980.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the GR Digital IV and S980 is 92 and 94 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions only by viewing a spec sheet. The pic underneath should provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the GR Digital IV and S980.

Clearly, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The GR Digital IV due to its larger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Sony S980 will render greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The fresher GR Digital IV should have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.