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Ricoh G900 vs Nikon D3S Comparison

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Ricoh G900

20 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

Ricoh G900
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Nikon D3S

12 MP | Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D3S
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Ricoh G900 vs Nikon D3S Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Ricoh G900, which was introduced in February 2018 is a Waterproof camera with a 20.0MP 1/2.3 sensor whereas Nikon D3S, which was introduced in February 2010 is a Pro DSLR camera with a 12.0MP Full frame sensor. As you can see, D3S is 8 years older than G900. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

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 Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Ricoh G900 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-02-21
  • 20MP - 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 247g. 118 x 66 x 33 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Nikon D3S Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-02-16
  • 12MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 12800 ( expands to 100 - 102400)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 11.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 1240g. 160 x 157 x 88 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D3 Compare

Nikon D3S was replaced by Nikon D4. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D4 vs Nikon D3S
Nikon D4 vs Ricoh G900

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S 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 Ricoh G900 over Nikon D3S
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Internal Storage
6.5GB vs None Extra built-in storage
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 12 MP 66% more pixels
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Weight
247 g vs 1240 g 993 g lighter
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
Digital video stabilization
Yes vs No Stabilizes your videos in-camera
USB Version
USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
CHECK G900 PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon D3S over Ricoh G900
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max ISO
12.800 vs 6.400 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
51 vs 9 42 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
4200 shots vs 340 shots 3860 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Sensor Pixel Area
71.40µm2 vs 1.39µm2 5036% larger pixel area
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing Range
±3 EV vs ±2 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
CHECK D3S PRICE

Common Strengths of Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S
Max Continuous Shooting
fps vs 11.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S
In-body Image Stabilization
Digital only vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Ricoh G900 vs Nikon D3S: 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 Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Ricoh G900 has external dimensions of 118 x 66 x 33 mm (4.65 x 2.6 x 1.3″) and weighs 247 g (0.54 lb / 8.71 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D3S has external dimensions of 160 x 157 x 88 mm (6.3 x 6.18 x 3.46″) and weighs 1240 g (2.73 lb / 43.74 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S. Ricoh G900 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 42mm narrower, 91mm shorter and 55mm thinner than Nikon D3S. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Ricoh G900 has a built-in lens but Nikon D3S doesn't. Once you put a lens on D3S, its thickness will increase significantly.

Ricoh G900 vs Nikon D3S Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S.

Ricoh G900 vs Nikon D3S Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S.
Ricoh G900 vs Nikon D3S Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Ricoh G900 is significantly lighter (993g ) than the Nikon D3S 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 D3S, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S'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.
Ricoh G900 vs Nikon D3S: Sensor Comparison

Ricoh G900 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Nikon D3S has a 12.0MP Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed processor.

Ricoh G900's sensor provides 8MP more than Nikon D3S'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.

Below you can see the G900 and D3S sensor size comparison.

Ricoh G900 vs Nikon D3S Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D3S has a 30.7x Larger sensor area than Ricoh G900. 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.

What types of Photography are Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S 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.

Ricoh G900 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Nikon D3S for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D3S for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon D3S for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
140 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
9 Focus Points
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
15 Cross Type Focus sensors
51 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 4200 shots
Good Low Light ISO
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D3S for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
247g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1240g
Body Thickness 88mm
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon D3S for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details

Ricoh G900 vs Nikon D3S: 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 Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S, 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 Ricoh G900 and Nikon D3S scores compare:

Ricoh G900
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #66 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #540 out of 1257 in all Cameras
Nikon D3S
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #12 out of 36 in Large SLR cameras
Ranked #282 out of 1257 in all Cameras

Nikon D3S is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Ricoh G900 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Ricoh G900. Otherwise, Nikon D3S is the better camera overall.

Ricoh G900
Ricoh G900
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Nikon D3S
Nikon D3S
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Nikon D3S vs Ricoh G900 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Ricoh G900 Nikon D3S
Brand Ricoh Nikon
Announced 2018-02-21 2010-02-16
Body Type Compact Large SLR
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3 Full frame
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 36 x 23.9 mm
Area 28.07mm2 860.40mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 4256 x 2832
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 102400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 ISO 200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 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 9 51
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Nikon F
Lens Focal Range 28-140 mm (5x) no lens
Max Aperture F3.5-5.5 no lens
Macro Focus Range 1cm no lens
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.7x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Digital only No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.50 m (with Auto ISO) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 11.0 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 3840 x 2160 1280 x 720
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Supports FlashAir SD cards None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 247g 1240g
Dimensions 118 x 66 x 33mm 160 x 157 x 88mm
Battery Life 340 shots 4200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Built-in Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 82
DxO Color Depth not tested 23.5
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 12.0
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 3253
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