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Nikon D3400 vs Ricoh GR II Comparison

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Nikon D3400

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D3400
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Ricoh GR II

16 MP | APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) CMOS Sensor

Ricoh GR II
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Nikon D3400 vs Ricoh GR II Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Nikon D3400, which was introduced in August 2016 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Ricoh GR II, which was introduced in June 2015 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor. There is 14 months difference between D3400 and GR II so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger D3400, especially in sensor tech.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon D3400 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-08-17
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 395g. 124 x 98 x 76 mm
  • Replaced Nikon D3300 Compare

Ricoh GR II Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-06-17
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 28 mm f2.80 Prime Lens
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 4.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 251g. 111.7 x 61 x 34.7 mm
  • Replaced Ricoh GR Compare

Nikon D3400 was replaced by Nikon D3500. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D3500 vs Nikon D3400
Nikon D3500 vs Ricoh GR II

Ricoh GR II was replaced by Ricoh GR III. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Ricoh GR III vs Ricoh GR II
Ricoh GR III vs Nikon D3400

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Nikon D3400 over Ricoh GR II
Viewfinder
Optical vs Optical (Optional) Better framing and control
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 16 MP 50% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
11 vs 9 2 more focus points
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 4.0fps 1 fps faster
Battery Life
1200 shots vs 320 shots 880 more frames with a single charge
Flash Coverage
7.0m vs 3.0m 4m longer range
Color Depth
24.8 vs 23.6 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
13.9 vs 13.7 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
1192 vs 1078 better High ISO performance
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK D3400 PRICE


Reasons to choose Ricoh GR II over Nikon D3400
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Optional Better connectivity
Internal Storage
54MB vs None Extra built-in storage
LCD Resolution
1.230k dots vs 921k dots 33% higher resolution screen
Weight
251 g vs 395 g 144 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
23.14µm2 vs 15.28µm2 51% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Built-in ND Filter
Yes vs No Use larger aperture under strong light
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
CHECK GR II PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 1.230k dots High resolution screens
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon D3400 vs Ricoh GR II: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon D3400 has external dimensions of 124 x 98 x 76 mm (4.88 x 3.86 x 2.99″) and weighs 395 g (0.87 lb / 13.93 oz) (including batteries). Ricoh GR II has external dimensions of 111.7 x 61 x 34.7 mm (4.61 x 3.27 x 1.38″) and weighs 251 g (0.55 lb / 8.85 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II. Ricoh GR II is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 12mm narrower, 37mm shorter and 41mm thinner than Nikon D3400. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Ricoh GR II has a built-in lens but Nikon D3400 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D3400, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon D3400 vs Ricoh GR II Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II.

Nikon D3400 vs Ricoh GR II Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II.
Nikon D3400 vs Ricoh GR II Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Ricoh GR II is significantly lighter (144g ) than the Nikon D3400 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on D3400, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon D3400 nor Ricoh GR II provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.


Nikon D3400 vs Ricoh GR II: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D3400 has a 24.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 4 processor. On the other hand, Ricoh GR II has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features GR Engine V processor.

Nikon D3400's sensor provides 8MP more than Ricoh GR II's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Nikon D3400's sensor lacks anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the D3400 and GR II sensor size comparison.

Nikon D3400 vs Ricoh GR II Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II Cameras


Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, D3400 has scored 86, 6 points higher than GR II.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Nikon D3400 86 24.8 bits 13.9 Evs 1192 ISO
Ricoh GR II 80 23.6 bits 13.7 Evs 1078 ISO
What types of Photography are Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon D3400 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Ricoh GR II for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
External Flash Shoe
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Ricoh GR II for Street Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Ricoh GR II for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
11 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1200 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
External Flash Shoe
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
28 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Ricoh GR II for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body
395g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Compact Body
251g
Read the details

Nikon D3400 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Ricoh GR II for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon D3400 vs Ricoh GR II: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon D3400 and Ricoh GR II scores compare:

Nikon D3400
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #31 out of 80 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #267 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Ricoh GR II
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #35 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #315 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Nikon D3400 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Ricoh GR II in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Nikon D3400.

Nikon D3400
Nikon D3400
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Ricoh GR II
Ricoh GR II
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Ricoh GR II vs Nikon D3400 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D3400 Ricoh GR II
Brand Nikon Ricoh
Announced 2016-08-17 2015-06-17
Body Type Compact SLR Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.5 x 15.6 mm 23.7 x 15.7 mm
Area 366.60mm2 372.09mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 4928 x 3264
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 25,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 11 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F fixed lens
Lens Focal Range no lens 28 mm (1x)
Max Aperture no lens F2.8-16.0
Macro Focus Range no lens 10cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 921k dots 1,230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Optical (optional)
Viewfinder Coverage 95% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.56x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 7.00 m (at ISO 100) 3.00 m (at Auto ISO)
Max Flash Sync 1/200s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 4.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Optional Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 395g 251g
Dimensions 124 x 98 x 76mm 111.7 x 61 x 34.7mm
Battery Life 1200 shots 320 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 86 80
DxO Color Depth 24.8 23.6
DxO Dynamic Range 13.9 13.7
DxO Low Light ISO 1192 1078
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