Nikon
Z9
Flagship stacked mirrorless with 45MP, 8K video, and no mechanical shutter.
$5,899
Released Oct 2021
Ricoh
GR III
Street photography icon with 24.24MP APS-C, 28mm equivalent GR lens, 3-axis SR, and snap-focus in a pocket body.
$899
Released Mar 2019
Z9 is 2.6 years newer.
Wins
Z9
Wins
GR III
TL;DR — Key differences
- BGR III has higher Burst (mechanical) (4 fps vs 0 fps)
- AZ9 has higher Burst (electronic) (120 fps vs 4 fps)
- AZ9 has higher AF points / zones (493 vs 49)
- BGR III has lower Weight (257 g vs 1340 g)
- BGR III has higher ISO max (native) (102,400 vs 25,600)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
Z9
149 × 150 × 91 mm
1340 g (2.95 lb / 47.27 oz)
GR III
109 × 62 × 33 mm
257 g (0.57 lb / 9.07 oz)
Z9 is 40mm wider, 88mm taller, and 57mm thicker than GR III.
Z9 is 1083 g heavier than GR III.
Depth (front-to-back): 91mm Z9 · 33mm GR III
Back view, to scale
Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.
Z9
149 × 150 mm
GR III
109 × 62 mm
Top view, to scale
Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.
Z9
149 × 91 mm
GR III
109 × 33 mm
Sensor size, to scale
Z9
35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame
858 mm² area
GR III
23.5 × 15.6 mm · APS-C
367 mm² area
2.3× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.
Lens ecosystem
Native lens selection
Z9
✓ more lensesNikon Z
90+
native lenses available
GR III: mount data unavailable
Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.
Use-case scoring
Which one for what?
Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class
Why pick one over the other
Reasons to choose
Z9
Subject recognition
Adds People, Birds, Dogs…
Codecs
Adds N-RAW, ProRes RAW HQ, ProRes 422 HQ…
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 149, 149.5, 90.5
Card types
Adds CFexpress Type B / XQD, CFexpress Type B / XQD
Burst (electronic)
120 fps vs 4 fps — higher is better
AF points / zones
493 vs 49 — higher is better
Battery life (CIPA)
740 shots vs 200 shots — higher is better
Animal / bird AF
Only Z9 supports it
Reasons to choose
GR III
Subject recognition
Adds Face, Eye
Burst (mechanical)
4 fps vs 0 fps — higher is better
Codecs
Adds MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, MOV
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 109.4, 61.9, 33.2
Card types
Adds SD, SDHC, SDXC UHS-I
Weight
257 g vs 1340 g — lower is better
ISO max (native)
102,400 vs 25,600 — higher is better
Both cameras share
- ✓Eye AF — Both support eye af
- ✓In-body stabilization — Both support in-body stabilization
- ✓Touchscreen — Both support touchscreen
- ✓Wi-Fi — Both support wi-fi
- ✓Bluetooth — Both support bluetooth
Pros & cons at a glance
Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.
Z9
Pros
- ✓45MP stacked
- ✓8K 60p internal
- ✓120fps stills
- ✓Pro build
Cons
- –Heavy body
- –Expensive
- –Large files
GR III
Pros
- ✓Pocketable APS-C
- ✓28mm equivalent GR lens
- ✓3-axis sensor-shift SR
- ✓Snap focus street shooting
Cons
- –Fixed lens
- –No built-in EVF
- –Full HD video only
Decided which one is right for you?
Compare live prices for the Z9 and GR III at major authorized retailers.
Ricoh GR III
Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for sports, Z9 or GR III?
Z9 scores 9.0/10 versus 0.5/10 for GR III — 120fps burst — pro-level action capture.
What's the resolution difference between the Z9 and GR III?
Z9 is 45.7 MP and GR III is 24.24 MP, so the Z9 captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the Z9 and GR III have in-body image stabilization?
Z9 has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while gR III has in-body image stabilization.
Which shoots faster bursts — the Z9 or the GR III?
Z9 reaches 120 fps electronic. GR III reaches 4 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the Z9 and GR III?
Z9 weighs 1340 g and GR III weighs 257 g, so the GR III is 1083 g lighter.
Do the Z9 and GR III record 4K video?
Z9: 8K UHD (max), 4K up to 120p. GR III: 4K up to 60p.
Are the Z9 and GR III weather sealed?
Z9: Yes. GR III: No.
Which has better battery life?
Rated battery life is 740 shots (CIPA) for the Z9 and 200 shots for the GR III, giving the Z9 the edge.
How much does each cost?
Z9 launched at $5,899 and GR III at $899. The GR III is $5,000 less.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.
Product images courtesy of Nikon and Ricoh press materials.