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
Sony
Alpha 7 IV
33MP hybrid all-rounder with 10-bit 4K 60p and AI-powered subject tracking.
$2,499
Released Oct 2021
Alpha 7 IV is 2.6 years newer.
Wins
GR III
Wins
Alpha 7 IV
2 categories tied
Check current prices
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TL;DR — Key differences
- BAlpha 7 IV has higher AF points / zones (759 vs 49)
- BAlpha 7 IV has higher Battery life (CIPA) (580 shots vs 200 shots)
- AGR III has lower Weight (257 g vs 658 g)
- BAlpha 7 IV has higher Burst (mechanical) (10 fps vs 4 fps)
- BAlpha 7 IV has higher Burst (electronic) (10 fps vs 4 fps)
Key specs at a glance
Size and weight, to scale
GR III
109 × 62 × 33 mm
257 g (0.57 lb / 9.07 oz)
Alpha 7 IV
131 × 96 × 80 mm
658 g (1.45 lb / 23.21 oz)
GR III is 22mm narrower, 35mm shorter, and 47mm thinner than Alpha 7 IV.
GR III is 401 g lighter than Alpha 7 IV.
Depth (front-to-back): 33mm GR III · 80mm Alpha 7 IV
Sensor size, to scale
GR III
23.5 × 15.6 mm · APS-C
367 mm² area
Alpha 7 IV
35.9 × 23.9 mm · Full Frame
858 mm² area
2.3× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.
Lens ecosystem
Native lens selection
GR III: mount data unavailable
Alpha 7 IV
✓ more lensesSony E
350+
native lenses available
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
GR III
Subject recognition
Adds Face, Eye
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 658 g — lower is better
ISO max (native)
102,400 vs 51,200 — higher is better
Reasons to choose
Alpha 7 IV
Subject recognition
Adds Human, Animal, Bird…
Codecs
Adds XAVC HS, XAVC S, XAVC S-I…
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
Adds 131.3, 96.4, 79.8
Card types
Adds CFexpress Type A, SD UHS-II
AF points / zones
759 vs 49 — higher is better
Battery life (CIPA)
580 shots vs 200 shots — higher is better
Burst (mechanical)
10 fps vs 4 fps — higher is better
Burst (electronic)
10 fps vs 4 fps — higher is better
Both cameras share
- ✓ISO min (native) — Both 100
- ✓Eye AF — Both support eye af
- ✓4K max frame rate — Both 60 fps
- ✓In-body stabilization — Both support in-body stabilization
- ✓Touchscreen — Both support touchscreen
- ✓Wi-Fi — Both support wi-fi
Pros & cons at a glance
Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.
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
Alpha 7 IV
Pros
- ✓33MP — more detail for cropping and print
- ✓10-bit 4K 60p (Super35 crop) / 4K 30p full-frame
- ✓Full-size HDMI port
- ✓759 phase-detect AF points
Cons
- –4K 60p requires Super35 crop
- –10fps burst lags behind R6 II at 40fps
- –Complex menu system
Full specifications
✓ = category winner
Frequently asked
Quick answers generated from verified specs.
Which is better for wildlife, GR III or Alpha 7 IV?
Alpha 7 IV scores 8.0/10 versus 2.0/10 for GR III — Bird AF subject recognition.
What's the resolution difference between the GR III and Alpha 7 IV?
GR III is 24.24 MP and Alpha 7 IV is 33 MP, so the Alpha 7 IV captures more detail for cropping and large prints.
Do the GR III and Alpha 7 IV have in-body image stabilization?
GR III has in-body image stabilization, while alpha 7 IV has 5.5-stop in-body image stabilization.
Which shoots faster bursts — the GR III or the Alpha 7 IV?
GR III reaches 4 fps electronic. Alpha 7 IV reaches 10 fps electronic.
What's the weight difference between the GR III and Alpha 7 IV?
GR III weighs 257 g and Alpha 7 IV weighs 658 g, so the GR III is 401 g lighter.
Do the GR III and Alpha 7 IV record 4K video?
GR III: 4K up to 60p. Alpha 7 IV: 4K up to 60p.
Are the GR III and Alpha 7 IV weather sealed?
GR III: No. Alpha 7 IV: Yes.
Which has better battery life?
Rated battery life is 200 shots (CIPA) for the GR III and 580 shots for the Alpha 7 IV, giving the Alpha 7 IV the edge.
How much does each cost?
GR III launched at $899 and Alpha 7 IV at $2,499. The GR III is $1,600 less.
Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.
Product images courtesy of Ricoh and Sony press materials.