Ricoh GR II vs Sony A6500

Cameras
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Ricoh GR II vs Sony A6500

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.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A6500 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A6500 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A6500.
Compare Sony A6500 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A6500 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Ricoh GR III
Compare GR II vs GR III

Succeeded by the Sony A6600
Compare A6500 vs A6600

Compare RICOH GR III vs SONY A6600

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Differences

Ricoh GR II advantages over Sony A6500

Less expensive
$538* vs $1598
Save money for lenses or accessories
Bigger pixels
~ 4.81 vs 3.92 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Thinner
34 mm vs 53 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/4000 vs 1/160 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Lighter weight
248g vs 453g
Lighter weight
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
300 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 231 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Sony A6500 advantages over Ricoh GR II

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
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A6500 test data on DxO Mark GR II test data on DxO Mark

1,405 vs 1,078 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Less shutter lag
0.18 vs 0.29 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
24.2 vs 16.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
11.1 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.1 fps vs 6.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
110 vs 10 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
51200 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
NFC
Both provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Adorama
Read GR II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A6500 User Reviews

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Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm 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

Comfortable, premium body with good controls; Touch-screen for subject selection; Hybrid image stabilization system; Excellent image quality; Better high ISO JPEGs than the A6300; Extremely fast 11.1 fps burst capture; Very deep buffers for raw and JPEG alike; 4K video capture with no pixel binning
Pricey for an APS-C camera; JPEG colors aren't the most accurate; Very slow buffer clearing; Laggy touch-pad AF function; Poorly-placed movie button; No headphone jack; Mediocre battery life
Read our Sony A6500 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

Sony A6500

Ricoh GR

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$799
APS-C

Bigger pixels
Integrated ND filter

Compare Sony A6500 vs Ricoh GR

Compared to Fujifilm X-Pro2

Ricoh GR II

Fujifilm X-Pro2

$538
APS-C

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

$1300
APS-C

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Fujifilm X-Pro2

Sony A6500

Fujifilm X-Pro2

$1198
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Touchscreen

$1300
APS-C

Higher max flash sync
More dots on screen

Compare Sony A6500 vs Fujifilm X-Pro2

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

Sony A6500

Fujifilm X70

$1198
APS-C

Eye-level viewfinder
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A6500 vs Fujifilm X70

Compared to Sony A6300

Ricoh GR II

Sony A6300

$538
APS-C

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

$846
APS-C

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Ricoh GR II vs Sony A6300

Sony A6500

Sony A6300

$1198
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Touchscreen

$846
APS-C

Less expensive

Compare Sony A6500 vs Sony A6300

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

Sony A6500

Fujifilm XF10

$1198
APS-C

Slower slow-motion
Eye-level viewfinder

$499
APS-C

Less expensive
Lighter weight

Compare Sony A6500 vs Fujifilm XF10

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