Ricoh GR II vs Sigma DP1x: Two Large Sensor Compacts Under the Microscope

When it comes to large sensor compact cameras, choices tend to split dramatically between modern, versatile workhorses and more niche, experimental offerings. Today, we’re diving deep into the Ricoh GR II (2015) and the Sigma DP1x (2010) - two compact cameras that both boast APS-C sensors but target significantly different user needs and shooting styles. As a photographer who’s tested thousands of cameras over 15 years - from rugged DSLRs to mirrorless marvels and specialty compacts - I’ve had a chance to wring every last bit of potential from both these cameras.

This article will break down their specs, real-world performance across disciplines like portrait, landscape, wildlife, and more, plus technical details that only come from hands-on experience. By the end, you’ll know which camera suits your shooting style and budget, and where compromises really lie.

First Impressions: Size, Design, and Handling

Before we dive into image quality and autofocus wizardry, let’s get tactile. The physical size and ergonomics strongly dictate who will enjoy these cameras day-to-day.

Ricoh’s GR II is a compact powerhouse designed for street photographers and travelers alike. Measuring 117x63x35 mm with a 251 g weight, it’s pocketable yet affords a confident grip, thanks to a modest, purposeful body shape. The GR II sports a flush but textured exterior that invites your fingers to find the controls naturally. In contrast, the Sigma DP1x has a chunkier, more boxy shape at 113x60x50 mm and 250 g, offset by a taller, less ergonomic grip. Given its bulkier depth, it feels less “slick pocket” and more “compact but still clutch in the hand.” For those with larger palms, the GR II’s more sculpted profile better fits modern shooting.

Ergonomically, the Ricoh GR II is a crowd-pleaser with custom buttons and a lens barrel ring for rapid adjustments - essential for street shooters who want no-frills, club-for-thumbs access. The Sigma DP1x, by comparison, is bare-bones: a fixed, non-retractable lens and minimal control dials. It definitely leans toward deliberate shooting sessions, not spontaneous snaps.

Top View and Controls – Sculpting the Photographer Experience

Now that you know how they feel in hand, let’s look up top at their dials, buttons, and layout.

The Ricoh GR II sports a traditional top plate layout, including a dedicated mode dial, shutter speed dial, and exposure compensation dial. This is ideal for photographers who want tactile feedback and quick manual exposure adjustments - especially useful in dynamic lighting. Meanwhile, the Sigma DP1x’s top plate is minimalist, with only a power switch, shutter release, and zoom toggle (though the lens is fixed focal length). This minimalism can be refreshing but could feel limiting if you come from an enthusiast DSLR background.

The Ricoh’s illuminated buttons (though no backlighting) and more numerous controls offer customization that the DP1x lacks. For users who prioritize speed over minimalism, the GR II is clearly ahead here.

Sensor & Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both cameras boast APS-C sensors - large for compacts - but use fundamentally different sensor tech with implications on image quality and workflow.

• Ricoh GR II: Uses a 16 MP Bayer CMOS sensor (23.7x15.7 mm) paired with the GR Engine V processor. It offers a native ISO range of 100-25600, a 1.5x crop factor lens at 28mm equivalent focal length, and supports shooting in RAW.

• Sigma DP1x: Employs the Foveon X3 sensor (20.7x13.8 mm) with a 5 MP output resolution but layers red, green, and blue photodiodes per pixel location, aiming for superior color accuracy and detail. It has a smaller sensor area and a fixed 28 mm equivalent F4 lens with 1.7x crop and supports RAW.

What does this mean in practice?

The Ricoh GR II’s Bayer sensor is more versatile, with superior noise handling and dynamic range (DxO scores affirm this, with the GR II scoring around 80 overall). Its 16 MP resolution is also apt for high-res printing and cropping flexibility.

In contrast, the Sigma DP1x’s Foveon sensor is unique: it excels in color depth and tonality, making images pop with detail and subtle color transitions rarely found in Bayer sensors - especially for skin tones and natural textures. It struggles, however, in low light and dynamic range due to its relatively low resolution and less responsive sensor technology.

For your everyday street or travel photography, the Ricoh’s sharper, cleaner images at higher ISO hold a distinct advantage. If you’re an enthusiast chasing ultimate color fidelity for landscapes or portraits under controlled lighting, the Sigma’s output has an almost painterly quality.

LCD and Interface: What You See is What You Get

Intuitive image review and menu navigation can make or break a camera’s usability out in the field.

The Ricoh GR II offers a 3-inch fixed LCD at 1230k dots, sharp and bright enough even in daylight. Its menu system is fast, with logical grouping and quick access to key settings.

The Sigma DP1x, however, has a smaller and significantly lower resolution 2.5-inch screen at 230k dots. This makes LCD preview images look coarse and faint, which can be frustrating for judging focus or exposure on the fly.

For photographers who rely on the screen rather than a viewfinder, the GR II simply wins here. The DP1x demands a more calculated approach, sometimes requiring tethered preview or external inspection - less convenient when shooting street or travel.

Autofocus Systems Put to the Test

Autofocus can be make-or-break for many photography types, especially fast-moving genres such as wildlife or sports.

• Ricoh GR II offers contrast detection AF with 9 focus points, face detection capabilities, and single/continuous AF modes. It features selectable AF area and tracking options, which perform adequately in good light but can occasionally hunt in low-light or low-contrast scenes.

• Sigma DP1x relies solely on contrast detection AF with no selectable focus points, face detection, or subject tracking. It only supports single AF mode, making it rather slow and less reliable for moving subjects.

In practice, for portrait and street photographers working static or slowly paced subjects, both cameras provide usable manual focus options (both have manual focus rings). However, the GR II’s autofocus system is more versatile and responsive. Attempting sports, wildlife, or fast action with the DP1x is frustrating at best.

Lens and Optical Characteristics: Fixed But Not Equal

Both cameras feature fixed lenses with a 28 mm field of view but differ in aperture and optical design extensively.

• Ricoh GR II: 28 mm equivalent at f/2.8 maximum aperture with a close focus distance of 10 cm for macro shooting. This lens is praised for sharpness, relatively shallow depth of field, and good edge-to-edge clarity. The f/2.8 aperture provides decent bokeh for subject isolation.

• Sigma DP1x: 28 mm equivalent at f/4 maximum aperture, fixed lens with no macro mode or close focusing. The lens is optimized for sharpness and color rendition rather than speed. Its narrower aperture means less background blur and less light gathering capability.

For portraits and macro shooting, the Ricoh GR II’s wider aperture and closer focusing trump the Sigma for subject separation and versatility. Landscapes will benefit from the DP1x’s color fidelity and sharpness, as long as light is abundant.

Handling Various Photography Disciplines

Let’s touch on how these two cameras behave across a range of photographic genres:

Portrait Photography

The Ricoh GR II’s faster f/2.8 lens and face-detection AF help deliver well-focused, nicely isolated portraits. Its Bayer sensor handles skin tones cleanly, and the raw files provide latitude for retouching. The Sigma’s Foveon excels in color and tonal nuance, making it arguably better for portraits in controlled lighting - skin rendition is more lifelike - but you’ll need to rely on manual focus and a tripod for best results.

Landscape Photography

The DP1x comes alive in landscape scenarios if you can work tripod-assisted. Its Foveon sensor’s color accuracy and detail reproduction are stunning, though resolution limits large print uses. The Ricoh GR II fares well in landscapes too, benefiting from higher resolution, better dynamic range, and a sharper lens at smaller apertures. Neither camera offers weather sealing, so both fall short for rugged outdoor shoots.

Wildlife and Sports

These are not the Ricoh GR II’s or Sigma DP1x’s strong suits. The Ricoh’s modest 4 fps continuous shooting and sluggish contrast AF cannot keep up with fast action. The Sigma DP1x lacks continuous AF and has no burst mode at all, ruling it out here.

Street Photography

This is where the Ricoh GR II shines. Small size, quick controls, sharp lens at 28 mm, and built-in Wi-Fi for instant sharing - it’s coded for the street. The Sigma DP1x’s slow AF and poor LCD make candid shots challenging, but the compact size and unique rendering may appeal to slower, more deliberate shooters.

Macro Photography

The Ricoh GR II’s close focusing distance of 10 cm gives it an edge for casual macro without additional optics. The Sigma DP1x lacks macro focusing capability, limiting its versatility here.

Night and Astro Photography

The Ricoh GR II’s higher ISO ceiling (up to 25600) and better noise handling provide a far more usable experience for night shooting. The Sigma’s ISO peak is 3200 with poor low light performance, and slow AF means focusing in the dark is challenging without live view magnification.

Video Capabilities

Neither camera is a video champ, but:

• Ricoh GR II records Full HD (1080p) up to 30 fps. Though lacking 4K and in-body stabilization, it is usable for casual video.

• Sigma DP1x records a max of 320x240 pixels, basically a novelty rather than a practical video device. No microphone input means audio quality is poor.

Build Quality, Weather Sealing, and Battery Life

Neither camera is weather sealed or ruggedized, so consider careful handling outdoors.

• Ricoh GR II’s construction feels solid with magnesium alloy body and metal dials, making it suitable for daily carry.

• Sigma DP1x’s plastic-heavy build feels less refined and more amateurish by today’s standards.

Battery life favors Ricoh with about 320 shots per charge, a respectable number for a compact. Sigma DP1x battery ratings are unspecified but widely reported to be modest.

Connectivity and Storage

Ricoh GR II supports Wi-Fi and NFC for quick file transfer - critical in a 2024 workflow.

Sigma DP1x has zero wireless connectivity and USB 1.0, a crippling bottleneck compared to modern standards.

Both use single SD card slots for storage, which is par for their generation.

Pricing and Value Proposition

At $599 new (note: as per launch), the Ricoh GR II offers a convincing package - modern sensor, fast lens, good AF, Wi-Fi, and solid ergonomics.

The Sigma DP1x, priced close at $574 at launch but now much harder to find new, targets a niche audience fascinated with Foveon color depth and image quality quirks.

If you want a versatile everyday carry camera capable of delivering excellent jpeg and RAW in varied conditions, the Ricoh GR II is a clear value winner.

If you are an image purist with workflow patience and mainly shoot landscapes, portraits, or stills with deliberate technique, the Sigma DP1x deserves your curiosity - but for most, it’s an impractical tool in 2024.

Real-World Samples and Performance Scores

Here are some sample images from both cameras, showing characteristic color and detail differences. Notice the richer tonality of the Sigma files but the broader dynamic range and cleaner shadows with the Ricoh.

Ricoh GR II front Ricoh GR II screen back Sigma DP1x screen back

Performance-wise, DxO Mark rates the Ricoh GR II with solid color depth (23.6 bits), dynamic range of 13.7 EVs, and low-light ISO at 1078 equivalent. The Sigma DP1x is untested by DxO but known for slower readout speeds and less dynamic range.

Breaking down genre-specific performance:

• Street: Ricoh strong; Sigma modest
• Landscape: Sigma colors excel; Ricoh versatile
• Portrait: Sigma colors good but slow AF a minus; Ricoh balanced
• Low light: Ricoh wins hands down
• Macro: Ricoh only viable

Summing It Up: Who Should Buy Which?

If you’re a photo enthusiast or professional wanting a pocketable, versatile camera with quick AF, roomy controls, reliable image quality, and decent video, the Ricoh GR II is an excellent choice. It works for street, travel, casual portraits, and landscapes with ease.

On the other hand, if you prize unique color rendering above speed, want an alternative to Bayer sensor imagery, have exclusive nature or portrait shooting sessions where manual focus and tripod use are acceptable, and appreciate a camera as a tool for careful composition over spontaneity, the Sigma DP1x holds niche appeal.

Brief Pros and Cons

Ricoh GR II

• Pros: Fast f/2.8 lens, solid ergonomics, good AF, reliable ISO performance, Wi-Fi connectivity, RAW support, versatile controls
• Cons: No in-body stabilization, fixed 28 mm focal length limits flexibility

Sigma DP1x

• Pros: Unique Foveon sensor color and detail; compact but solid build; strong landscape/portrait output in good light
• Cons: Slow autofocus, low resolution, poor screen, no video, no wireless, limited ISO range

Final Thoughts

The choice between the Ricoh GR II and Sigma DP1x boils down to practicality versus artistic experimentation.

From my experience, the GR II better suits most photography needs, especially for enthusiasts requiring speed and flexibility in uncontrolled environments. The DP1x is a beautiful camera for specialists chasing a distinct color science and are willing to live within its idiosyncratic workflow.

Whichever you choose, both cameras remind us that large sensor compacts, while often overshadowed by mirrorless systems, still hold an important place in photography with their single-minded focus and characteristic imagery.

Happy shooting - and may your next camera feel just right in your hands and your vision!

If you have questions about using either camera or want advice on lenses for the Ricoh GR III successor, just reach out - I’m here to help.