Ricoh GR vs Samsung NX30: A Deep Dive Comparison for Photographers

Choosing the right camera often means balancing your unique shooting style with technical capabilities - and this comparison between the Ricoh GR and Samsung NX30 digs into exactly that. These two models, both announced within a year of each other, cater to very different photographic philosophies and workflows, yet each enjoys a loyal following. After spending hours testing, shooting across varied genres, and analyzing data side-by-side, I’m ready to share an expert breakdown that should help you confidently decide which camera stands out for your needs.

First Impressions and Handling: Compact Sophistication vs. SLR-Style Versatility

Right off the bat, the Ricoh GR impresses with its pocketable, large sensor compact form factor. Measuring just 117x61x35mm and weighing a mere 245g, it effortlessly slips into a jacket or bag without weighing you down. In contrast, the Samsung NX30 adopts a more traditional mirrorless DSLR-style design, noticeably bulkier at 127x96x58mm and 375g. This extra heft contributes to a robust grip and presence, which many photographers find reassuring during extended shoots.

Comparing ergonomics, the NX30 offers a deeper handgrip and a more comprehensive control layout (see next section). Its camera body feels sturdier - though neither model features weather sealing, which is worth considering for outdoor shoots. The Ricoh GR opts for minimalism, with a sleek, almost stealthy build, focusing on simplicity and portability at the expense of extensive physical controls.

This size and weight disparity plays a notable role in genres like street and travel photography. The GR’s small footprint encourages discreet shooting, while the NX30 will appeal to those preferring a steadier hold and full manual control. What really matters is whether you prioritize ultimate portability or tactile versatility.

Crafting Your Masterpiece Starts With Controls: Layout, Interface, and User Experience

Examining the top and rear of both cameras, the Samsung NX30’s control scheme caters well to enthusiasts craving direct access to exposure, focus modes, and customizable buttons. An electronic viewfinder with 2.36M-dot resolution and 100% coverage assures precise framing and detail inspection that the Ricoh GR’s lack of any built-in EVF can’t match. The GR instead relies solely on its 3-inch fixed screen.

The GR screen - while sharp at 1230K dots - is not a touchscreen nor articulated, which limits interactive menu navigation and self-portrait flexibility. The NX30’s 3-inch AMOLED touchscreen is fully articulated, enhancing low-angle or high-angle shooting and enabling convenient touch-to-focus and menu navigation. These features make a tangible difference for videographers and photographers who rely on flexibility in compositions or selfie-mode casual shooting.

I found myself missing touchscreen input during fast-paced sessions on the GR, especially since its autofocus system demands careful focus point selection. The NX30’s interface feels more modern and customizable, though the GR’s streamlined buttons keep distractions low - an advantage for photographers who prefer simplicity and speed.

Sensor and Image Quality: What Does Your Pixel Arsenal Look Like?

Both cameras house APS-C sized CMOS sensors, but with distinct resolutions and imaging philosophies. The Ricoh GR offers a 16MP sensor, representative of its 2013 tech era, while the Samsung NX30’s 20MP sensor nudges a bit higher resolution, potentially delivering more detail and cropping flexibility.

From a testing standpoint, the GR benefits from a slightly larger sensor area (372.09mm² compared to NX30’s 368.95mm²), though the difference is minimal and unlikely to influence image quality significantly alone. However, DxOMark scores reveal:

• Ricoh GR: Overall score 78, color depth 23.6 bits, dynamic range 13.5 EV, low-light ISO 972.

• Samsung NX30: Overall score 77, color depth 23.5 bits, dynamic range 12.4 EV, low-light ISO 1014.

While the GR pulls slightly ahead in dynamic range and color depth - a crucial advantage for landscape and portrait photographers seeking nuanced tonality - the NX30 pushes marginally better in low-light ISO performance, lending itself to more noise-resistant images in dim environments such as concert halls or evening sports.

In practice, both sensors render excellent image quality for their class, but the GR edges out on tonal richness and highlight retention, whereas the NX30 shines in higher resolution demanding detail and cleaner ISO performance above 1600.

Seeing Your Shot: Screens and Viewfinders Compared

Calling a camera “user-friendly” demands great viewing tools. The Ricoh GR offers a 3.0-inch fixed TFT LCD with 1230K dots brightness. While the sharp resolution allows accurate framing, its fixed angle and non-touch nature limit versatility. No selfie flips mean portrait or vlogging work is less intuitive.

On the other hand, the Samsung NX30’s 3.0-inch AMOLED screen (1036K dots) fully articulates and supports touch input. This AMOLED panel delivers richer colors and deeper blacks - helpful when shooting in tricky lighting or reviewing photos mid-shoot. Also, the NX30 incorporates a 2.36M-dot electronic viewfinder with excellent refresh rates and 0.66x magnification, which the GR wholly lacks.

If your workflow involves rapid composition changes, eye-level shooting, or serious video work, the NX30’s display and viewfinder combination delivers significant practical advantages. The GR’s minimalist design expects its users to depend heavily on the LCD and often a good external light source for review.

Autofocus Systems and Performance: Tracking, Speed, and Precision

For photographers who demand reliable and fast autofocus, this category is a defining battleground. The Ricoh GR features a contrast-detect AF with 9 selectable points - basic compared to modern standards - and lacks face or eye-detection technology. Continuous AF mode is supported, but there’s no tracking or phase-detect autofocus.

The Samsung NX30, equipped with an advanced hybrid AF system employing 247 phase-detection points, offers significantly faster and more accurate autofocus. It supports face detection, live view continuous AF, and AF tracking, making it far superior for action, wildlife, or dynamic scenes.

In real-world testing, the NX30’s AF locked focus promptly in changing environments, including indoors, sports venues, and street scenes. The GR, while precise when locked, can struggle to keep pace with rapidly moving subjects, requiring pre-focusing or manual adjustments. This limitation confines the GR primarily to static subjects or deliberate street candids.

For wildlife and sports photographers craving speed and dependable subject tracking, the NX30 is clearly the better tool. Portrait photographers working with still subjects may tolerate the GR’s autofocus - especially given its exceptionally sharp fixed lens.

Lens Ecosystem: Fixed Lens vs Expandability

This is where the Ricoh GR’s fixed 28mm f/2.8 equivalent lens plays a major role. The lens delivers classic wide-angle coverage with excellent sharpness and very low distortion - a photographer’s favorite for street and documentary styles. The limitation: no interchangeable lens system.

Conversely, the Samsung NX30 uses the Samsung NX mount and supports 32 native lenses, including primes and zooms spanning wide angles to telephoto teleconverters. This extensive selection gives users immense creative freedom: macro work, portraits with creamy bokeh, landscape super-wides, and fast telephoto lenses for wildlife or sports.

While the GR’s fixed lens design ensures compactness and consistency, the lack of zoom or alternative focal lengths means you’ll either learn to “zoom with your feet,” embrace prime shooting, or carry additional cameras. The NX30 is the clear winner for photographers who desire adaptability across genres.

Burst Shooting and High-Speed Capture Potential

If capturing fast action is your jam, burst speed and buffer size matter greatly. The Ricoh GR manages a modest 4 fps burst - respectable for a compact but not aimed at sports or wildlife shooters.

The Samsung NX30, designed as an advanced mirrorless system, offers a more substantial 9 fps continuous shooting rate. Coupled with its better autofocus tracking, the NX30 enables you to nail those split-second moments during races, bird flights, or candid street life.

If your photography demands fast decision-making and rapid shooting, the NX30 will outpace the GR notably here.

Video Capabilities: Which Camera Handles Moving Imagery?

While neither camera was made for high-end video production, stills shooters often want some video functionality.

The Ricoh GR records Full HD 1080p video at 30fps max, encoded in MPEG-4 format. However, it lacks microphone and headphone jacks, which limits audio input capabilities. It also offers 720p slow-motion at 60fps and timelapse recording. No image stabilization is built-in, so handheld video can look shaky.

Samsung NX30 steps up with Full HD 1080p recording at 60fps - a frame rate advantage for smoother motion. It supports both MPEG-4 and H.264 encoding and includes a microphone input for improved sound recording. Furthermore, the NX30 features a fully articulating screen, perfect for vlogging or creative video angles. However, it lacks headphone output.

Neither camera offers 4K or advanced video features like log profiles or in-body stabilization, but the NX30’s richer feature set and ergonomics clearly favor video enthusiasts.

Battery Life and Portability in the Field

Long shooting days need cameras that last. The Ricoh GR’s battery life tops at about 290 shots per charge - typical for compacts but requiring spare batteries for extended use.

Samsung NX30 edges ahead here with about 360 shots per battery cycle, reflecting both its larger body and better power management.

In terms of storage, both use SD/SDHC/SDXC cards through a single slot, ensuring ample media flexibility. Neither camera offers dual slots or battery grips for extended endurance, however.

When traveling light but packing for all-day shooting, neither camera breaks new ground in stamina, so carry extras accordingly.

Wireless Connectivity and Workflow Integration

The Ricoh GR includes Eye-Fi card compatibility for wireless image transfer but lacks built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Sharing images straight from the camera requires Eye-Fi cards or wired USB 2.0 transfer.

The Samsung NX30 comes with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, enabling easy connection to smartphones, tablets, or computers. This facilitates one-touch sharing, remote control apps, and streamlined workflow integration, making it ideal for photographers who want to instantly edit or share images on social media.

Price and Value Analysis: What Are You Actually Paying For?

At time of review, the Ricoh GR typically retails around $970, whereas the Samsung NX30 is priced nearer $700. Despite the GR’s premium tag, you pay for the precision fixed lens and compact design. The NX30 offers expansive feature sets, interchangeable lenses, and faster performance at a lower buy-in.

For photographers prioritizing portable street shooting with rich image quality, the GR commands a niche premium. For those looking to build a versatile system with video capabilities, faster AF, and greater lens options, the NX30 provides stronger bang for your buck.

Real-World Performance Samples: Reviewing Output Quality Side by Side

Ricoh GR front Ricoh GR screen back Samsung NX30 front Samsung NX30 screen back

In my extensive shooting sessions, the Ricoh GR's files radiate outstanding sharpness straight from the lens, especially in good lighting. Skin tones render naturally, thanks to its fine color depth, and bokeh, while limited by the wide-angle 28mm lens, remains smooth and pleasing against appropriately distant backgrounds.

The NX30’s higher resolution files offer more cropping latitude and finer detail in landscapes and macro shots. The autofocus system’s face detection and tracking deliver crisp portraits with well-focused eyes. In low light, the NX30 holds noise better beyond ISO 1600, while the GR begins showing chroma noise at similar ISOs.

Both images respond well to post-processing, but the GR’s richer dynamic range makes shadow recovery more forgiving without noise artifacts.

How Each Camera Excels Across Photography Genres

Portrait Photography

• Ricoh GR: Its APS-C sensor and quality lens deliver excellent skin tone rendition and clean images. However, lack of eye detection and AF speed limit ease with moving subjects. Bokeh is subtle due to 28mm focal length.

• Samsung NX30: Higher resolution and face/eye detection AF make it easier to capture tack sharp portraits with more flexible lens choices. Bokeh control is superior using longer focal length lenses.

Landscape

• Ricoh GR: Superior dynamic range and excellent lens sharpness make it a strong landscape tool in a pocketable package.

• Samsung NX30: Resolution advantage and lens availability cater to expansive landscape shoots but lower dynamic range requires careful exposure.

Wildlife & Sports

• Ricoh GR: Fixed wide lens and sluggish AF preclude serious wildlife or sports use.

• Samsung NX30: Fast 9 fps burst, hybrid phase-detect AF, and telephoto lenses make it a practical choice for these genres.

Street Photography

• Ricoh GR: Compact design, stealthy operation, and image quality combine for a street shooter’s dream.

• Samsung NX30: Bulkier but offers better AF and framing tools; less discreet.

Macro Photography

• Ricoh GR: Limited by fixed lens.

• Samsung NX30: Macro lenses available for close-up detail.

Night/Astro Photography

• Ricoh GR: Higher dynamic range aids in capturing starry skies, though limited ISO performance caps usability.

• Samsung NX30: Slightly cleaner high ISO enables longer exposures and dim light shooting.

Video

• Ricoh GR: Basic Full HD video, no mic input, no stabilization.

• Samsung NX30: 1080p60 video, mic input, touchscreen - better overall video solution.

Travel

• Ricoh GR: Unmatched portability with robust image quality ideal for minimalists.

• Samsung NX30: More flexible system but requires larger carry.

Professional Workflows

• Ricoh GR: Raw support adequate; simpler ergonomics limit complex shooting.

• Samsung NX30: Robust manual controls, lens ecosystem, and wireless integration enhance workflows.

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

Both the Ricoh GR and Samsung NX30 represent compelling options tailored to divergent photographic sensibilities. The GR reigns supreme as a “go anywhere” large sensor compact embraced by street photographers and minimalists who place portability and image quality above system depth. If you shoot mostly stills, prize quick setup, and favor a classic 28mm perspective, it’s an all-in-one marvel.

The Samsung NX30, meanwhile, shines as an advanced mirrorless creative system with excellent autofocus, rich lens adaptability, and strong video capabilities. Enthusiasts who want a future-proofable camera body encompassing many genres - including portraits, wildlife, and event coverage - will appreciate its faster bursts, articulating touchscreen, and superior AF systems.

Summary Recommendations:

Closing Thoughts

Tested under diverse conditions, both cameras demonstrate how different philosophies produce distinct strengths. The Ricoh GR captures the essence of candid snapshot excellence within a compact shell, sacrificing system flexibility. The Samsung NX30 offers a versatile, performance-packed mirrorless experience at a friendlier price.

If you demand an all-in-one pocketable powerhouse, invest in the GR. If you crave flexibility, speed, and future expandability, the NX30 awaits.

Happy shooting, whichever path you choose.

This comprehensive comparison is based on hands-on use, technical analysis including DxOMark data, and genre-specific testing. For photographers seeking honest, expert insight, these evaluations bring practical wisdom to your next camera choice.