Pentax K-3 II vs Ricoh GR III

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Pentax K-3 II vs Ricoh GR III

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 II Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-3 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3 II.
Compare Pentax K-3 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-3 II conclusion.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.2 megapixels
28.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Ricoh GR III Review.
How does it shoot? Ricoh GR III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the GR III.

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Ricoh GR III

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

720 vs 200 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
HDMI out vs None
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 4.3 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 4.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 9 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Ricoh GR III advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~0.70 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Thinner
33 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Newer
5 years vs 9 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
257g vs 785g
Lighter weight
Longer exposure
1200 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
102400 vs 51200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read GR III User Reviews

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Body Only (Black)

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Ricoh GR III

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Review Excerpt

Top-notch image quality; Spectacular detail from Pixel Shift Resolution; Better performance than K-3; Geotag images with no accessories; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Clever on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots
No built-in flash strobe; No wireless flash support out of the box; AstroTracer function can be finicky; AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a prosumer DSLR; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors
Read our Pentax K-3 II Review

We haven’t finished our review of the Ricoh GR III, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
Read our Ricoh GR III Shooter's Report

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D5500

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D5500

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$597
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D5500

Ricoh GR III

Nikon D5500

$932
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Built-in Bluetooth

$597
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Ricoh GR III vs Nikon D5500

Compared to Canon T6i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T6i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T6i

Ricoh GR III

Canon T6i

$932
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Ricoh GR III vs Canon T6i

Compared to Sony A68

Pentax K-3 II

Sony A68

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
High resolution composite

$598
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A68

Ricoh GR III

Sony A68

$932
APS-C

Touchscreen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$598
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Ricoh GR III vs Sony A68

Compared to Pentax KP

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax KP

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in GPS

$999
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax KP

Ricoh GR III

Pentax KP

$932
APS-C

Touchscreen
Fast startup

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Ricoh GR III vs Pentax KP

Compared to Canon T7i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T7i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$700
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T7i

Ricoh GR III

Canon T7i

$932
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$700
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Ricoh GR III vs Canon T7i

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