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Panasonic FX48 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Comparison

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Panasonic FX48

12 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

Panasonic FX48
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Ricoh GR Digital III

10 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CCD Sensor

Ricoh GR Digital III
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Panasonic FX48 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing FX48 and GR Digital III, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Panasonic and Ricoh. Panasonic FX48 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Ricoh GR Digital III has a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor. Panasonic FX48 was introduced to market in January 2009 and Ricoh GR Digital III was launched in July 2009. There is only 6 months difference between FX48 and GR Digital III so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic FX48 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2009-01-27
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)
  • 25-125 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.5" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2 fps continuous shooting
  • - 640 x 480 video resolution
  • 150g. 95 x 53 x 22 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-FX40

Ricoh GR Digital III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2009-07-27
  • 10MP - 1/1.7-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 64 - 1600
  • 28 mm f1.90 Prime Lens
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • continuous shooting
  • - 640 x 480 video resolution
  • 208g. 109 x 59 x 26 mm
  • Replaced Ricoh GR Digital II Compare

Ricoh GR Digital III was replaced by Ricoh GR Digital IV. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Ricoh GR Digital IV vs Ricoh GR Digital III
Ricoh GR Digital IV vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 (Lumix DMC-FX40)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 over Ricoh GR Digital III
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
12 MP vs 10 MP 19% more pixels
Max ISO
3.200 vs 1.600 100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter
1/3000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Weight
150 g vs 208 g 58 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 28mm 3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
125mm vs 28mm 97 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
5× vs 1× more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage
6.0m vs 3.0m 3m longer range


Reasons to choose Ricoh GR Digital III over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
920k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Aperture - Wide
1.90 vs 2.80 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
1.90 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
4.16µm2 vs 2.31µm2 80% larger pixel area
Built-in ND Filter
Yes vs No Use larger aperture under strong light

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Continuous Shooting
2.0fps vs fps Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing
No vs No Not good for multi-exposure HDR
Panasonic FX48 vs Ricoh GR Digital III: 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 Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic FX48 has external dimensions of 95 x 53 x 22 mm (3.74 x 2.09 x 0.87″) and weighs 150 g (0.33 lb / 5.29 oz) (including batteries). Ricoh GR Digital III has external dimensions of 109 x 59 x 26 mm (4.29 x 2.32 x 1.02″) and weighs 208 g (0.46 lb / 7.34 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III. Panasonic FX48 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 14mm narrower, 6mm shorter and 4mm thinner than Ricoh GR Digital III.

Panasonic FX48 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III.

Panasonic FX48 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic FX48 is significantly lighter (58g ) than the Ricoh GR Digital III which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48
GR Digital III
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48
GR Digital III
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 (Lumix DMC-FX40) nor Ricoh GR Digital III 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 Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Ricoh GR Digital III's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic FX48's 2.5" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Panasonic FX48 vs Ricoh GR Digital III: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic FX48 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Ricoh GR Digital III has a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features GR engine III processor.

Below you can see the FX48 and GR Digital III sensor size comparison.

Panasonic FX48 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III Cameras


As seen above, Ricoh GR Digital III has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Panasonic FX48. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic FX48 vs Ricoh GR Digital III Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic FX48 features a 25-125 mm F2.8-5.9 5× zoom lens whereas Ricoh GR Digital III features a 28 mm F1.9 Prime lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Panasonic FX48's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Ricoh GR Digital III's 28mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, GR Digital III's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Panasonic FX48 has 97mm longer reach than the Ricoh GR Digital III. However, with a max aperture of f1.90, Ricoh GR Digital III is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

FX48
GR Digital III
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

FX48
GR Digital III
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

FX48
GR Digital III
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

FX48
GR Digital III
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III 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.

Panasonic FX48 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Ricoh GR Digital III for Portrait Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Ricoh GR Digital III for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.90
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Sports Photography

POOR

Ricoh GR Digital III for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
11 Focus Points
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3000s
125 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
28 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Ricoh GR Digital III for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Compact Body
150g
Body Thickness 22mm
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
208g
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Ricoh GR Digital III for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 vs Ricoh GR Digital III: 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 Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 Panasonic FX48 and Ricoh GR Digital III scores compare:

Panasonic FX48
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #299 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #930 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Ricoh GR Digital III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #128 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #627 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Ricoh GR Digital III is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic FX48 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic FX48. Otherwise, Ricoh GR Digital III is the better camera overall.

Panasonic FX48
Panasonic FX48
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Ricoh GR Digital III
Ricoh GR Digital III
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Ricoh GR Digital III vs Panasonic FX48 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 Ricoh GR Digital III
Brand Panasonic Ricoh
Announced 2009-01-27 2009-07-27
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CCD CCD
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/1.7-inch
Dimensions 6.08 x 4.56 mm 7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area 27.72mm2 41.52mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 10 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 6400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 64 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 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-125 mm (5×) 28 mm (1×)
Max Aperture F2.8-5.9 F1.9
Macro Focus Range 5cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.5" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/3000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m 3.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps n/a
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 640 x 480 640 x 480
Video Formats Motion JPEG n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 150g 208g
Dimensions 95 x 53 x 22mm 109 x 59 x 26mm
Battery Life n/a n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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