Canon G1x III vs. Ricoh GR IIIx

I recently traded my Ricoh GR IIIx Urban Edition for a Canon G1x III. I know this is seriously off trend but hear me out. There is method in my madness. I owned a Canon G1x I and loved it. Always regretted selling it. Some of the pictures in this article were taken with that camera over 10 years ago. But that’s not the only reason..

Canon G1x III vs. Ricoh GR IIIx

Canon G1x III Overview

The Canon G1x III was not a major success on release. There were some good reasons, it’s lack of a mic in socket and inability to shoot 4k video being amongst the main ones. On the plus side, it is comfortable to hold, has an APS-C sensor and a 15 – 45 mm (24-72mm equivalent) zoom lens. It is rustproof and weatherproof, is equipped with a flip out articulated screen. It also handles well and is “grippable” in a way the Ricoh just isn’t. It is a lot more robust than the Ricoh and almost every other camera in its class.

Canon have ceased to manufacture this camera although you can pick it up sencond hand quite easily.

So, obsolete, unfashionable and heavy. What’s not to like?

Ricoh GR IIIx Overview

Feted as a street photographers dream, the Ricoh GR IIIx had the blessing of the fashionistas and at least in part lived up to its billing. It is tiny, so small it requires an accessory to rest your thumb against. It has an APS-C sensor and a fixed 26mm lens, giving about 40mm equivalence on a full frame.

Picture quality is impressive, very sharp, a little contrasty for my liking but the availability of a rich collection of “recipes” for post processing has earned this camera a healthy reputation.

On the debit side, it is not weather or dust proof, has decidedly flimsy lens protection, eats batteries and lacks grip. It is very droppable. Servicing costs are reputedly very high and there is a lot of anecdotal evidence suggesting the lens mechanism is prone to jamming when dust gets sucked into it and trapped. This is not user fixable.

Canon G1x III Details

Image Sensor

Type

APS-C CMOS

Effective Pixels

Approx. 24.2 M

Aspect Ratio

3:2

Colour Filter Type

Primary Colour

Image Processor

Type

DIGIC 7

Lens

Focal Length

15 – 45 mm (35 mm equivalent: 24 – 72 mm)

Zoom

Optical 3x
ZoomPlus 6x
Digital Approx. 4x (with Digital Tele-Converter Approx. 1.6x or 2.0x)
Combined Approx. 12x

Maximum f/number

f/2.8 – f/5.6

Image Stabilisation

Yes (lens shift-type)

Still: Adaptive Intelligent IS , Max. Approx. 4-stop stabilisation

Movie: 5-axis Advanced Dynamic IS

Focusing

Type

Dual Pixel CMOS AF System.  Phase detection pixels built onto imaging sensor

AF System/ Points

Maximum 49 AF points (Fixed location on 7×7 grid) via camera automatic selection

Freely position 1 AF point/ 1 AF Zone (9 points, 3×3 grid) via manual selection

AF Modes

Single, Continuous, Servo AF/AE, Touch AF

Focus Bracketing

Yes

Closest Focusing Distance

10 cm (Wide) from front of lens
30 cm (Tele) from front of lens

Exposure Control

Metering modes

Real-time metering from the image sensor
(1) Evaluative metering (linked to Face Detection AF frame)
(2) Center weighted average metering
(3) Spot metering

AE Lock

Yes, via customisable buttons

Exposure Compensation

+/- 3 EV in 1/3 stop increments

ND Filter (3-stop) On/ Auto/ Off

AEB

1/3 – 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments (can be used together with manual compensation)

ISO Sensitivity

AUTO, 100, 125, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600, 2000, 2500, 3200, 4000, 5000, 6400, 8000, 10000, 12800, 25600

AUTO ISO: 100 – 25600 (possible to set Max. ISO speed and rate of change)

Shutter

Speed

1 – 1/2000 s (factory default)
BULB, 30 – 1/2000 s (total range – varies by shooting mode)

Viewfinder

Viewfinder

EVF (0.39 type), Approx. 2,360,000 dots, OLED type

Viewfinder / Coverage

Approx. 100%

LCD Monitor

Monitor

Vari-angle 7.5 cm (3.0”) Touchscreen LCD (TFT) with reinforced glass. 3:2 aspect ratio. Approx. 1,040,000 dots. Electrostatic capacitance type.

Ricoh GR IIIx Details

Image Sensor

• 24.2MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
• GR Engine 6

Lens

• 40mm f/2.8 Lens (35mm Equivalent)
• 3-Axis Shake Reduction System

Touchscreen

• Fixed
• 3″ 1.037m-Dot Touchscreen LCD

Video

• Full HD 1080/60p Video Recording

Connectivity

• Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi

Auto Focus

• Hybrid AF System, Macro Mode

Ports

• USB Type-C Port, SD Card Slot

Why I Opted to Swap my Ricoh GR IIIx Urban Edition for a Canon G1x III

Video

Firstly, I have used Canon cameras, including a G1x mk 1 for decades, I am extremely familiar with how they work and confident in my ability to get them to work well for me. The upgraded mk III of the Canon G1x series is a massive step forward and at the time it was released (November 2017) in terms of pure photography it was the most highly specced camera of its type, in the market.

There is no doubt in my mind that had they added 4K video and sound input, the camera would have been a world beater.

The Ricoh on the other hand seems to be designed for one purpose only, street photography. Released in September 2021, it has almost identical specs to the Canon. My idea was to use it also for location research and as some of the places I research are up mountains and in deserts, the lack of dust proofing and general “dropability” of the camera worried me to a point where I wouldn’t take it with me into mountainous or desert landscapes. Fragility is a given with all cameras, but the Ricoh seems way too fragile for its own good and the service costs way to high.

So I opted for the decidedly unfashionable Canon, There appears to be a growing demand for it and I paid more for it than I did the Ricoh, but I’m confident that it is just as good a camera and will serve me better, more often and for longer. Time will tell.