Ricoh GR II vs Pentax K-1 II

Cameras
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Ricoh GR II vs Pentax K-1 II

APS-C 369.7mm²
16.2 megapixels
28.00mm (35mm eq.)

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

35mm 861.6mm²
36.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 819,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-1 II Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-1 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-1 II.
Compare Pentax K-1 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-1 II conclusion.

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Differences

Ricoh GR II advantages over Pentax K-1 II

Less expensive
$538* vs $1997
Save money for lenses or accessories
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Thinner
34 mm vs 85 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/4000 vs 1/200 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Lighter weight
248g vs 1010g
Lighter weight
Longer exposure
300 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 77 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
6.1 fps vs 4.6 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Pentax K-1 II advantages over Ricoh GR II

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
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

670 vs 320 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
Newer
6 years vs 9 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Less shutter lag
0.10 vs 0.29 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
36.4 vs 16.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
4.5 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
17 vs 10 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
819200 vs 25600 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
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
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
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read GR II User Reviews

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Adorama
Read K-1 II User Reviews

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Kit with 28-105mm Lens

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Review Excerpt

Shooting with a wide prime helps you see new shots; Good performance and fast autofocus; Excellent sharp, bright lens; Very customizable; In-camera Wi-Fi works with more than just Android and iOS; Supports Pentax wireless flash strobes
Fixed, wide prime lens isn't for everyone; Cramped controls; Burst capture is slower for JPEGs; Tends too warm under incandescent lighting; Wi-Fi app is poor, and web browser control has cluttered interface
Read our Ricoh GR II Review

Excellent build and comfortable handling; Bright, roomy viewfinder and articulated LCD; Great image quality; Good performance for the class; In-camera stabilization, GPS and Wi-Fi; Incredibly feature-rich design.
Bulkier than APS-C DSLRs; Top ISOs are for the spec sheet, not the real world; JPEGs are a bit punchy by default; Slow startup; Below-average battery life; Only a relatively modest update to the K-1.
Read our Pentax K-1 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Ricoh GR

Ricoh GR II

Ricoh GR

$538
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

$799
APS-C

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Ricoh GR

Pentax K-1 II

Ricoh GR

$1747
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$799
APS-C

Internal flash
Integrated ND filter

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Ricoh GR

Compared to Fujifilm X70

Ricoh GR II

Fujifilm X70

$538
APS-C

Less expensive
NFC

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Fujifilm X70

Pentax K-1 II

Fujifilm X70

$1747
35mm

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Fujifilm X70

Compared to Pentax K-1

Ricoh GR II

Pentax K-1

$538
APS-C

NFC
Internal flash

$1800
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Pentax K-1

Pentax K-1 II

Pentax K-1

$1747
35mm

Higher extended ISO

$1800
35mm

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Pentax K-1

Compared to Nikon D850

Ricoh GR II

Nikon D850

$538
APS-C

Less expensive
NFC

$2664
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Nikon D850

Pentax K-1 II

Nikon D850

$1747
35mm

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$2664
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Nikon D850

Compared to Fujifilm XF10

Ricoh GR II

Fujifilm XF10

$538
APS-C

Bigger pixels
NFC

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Fujifilm XF10

Pentax K-1 II

Fujifilm XF10

$1747
35mm

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$499
APS-C

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Fujifilm XF10

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