Ricoh GR vs. Nikon Coolpix A Review

Sharpness

We will begin our image quality analysis by taking look at the sharpness of each of the three cameras.  We will keep our commentary brief and allow the results to speak for themselves.

Center Sharpness

f/	GR	Coolpix A	GRD IV
1.9
2.8
4
5.6
8
11
16
22

Both the Ricoh GR and Coolpix A have superb center sharpness at F2.8 through F8.  Sharpness drops noticeably at F16 (and at F22 on the Nikon), but overall, the two cameras are neck-and-neck, with the GR being just slightly sharper.

The GRD IV does well until F4 despite its small 1/1.7" sensor, though it is not as sharp wide-open as at F2.8.  Diffraction starts becoming noticeable at F5.6 and it is severe at F8 and above.

Corner Sharpness

f/	GR	Coolpix A	GRD IV
1.9
2.8
4
5.6
8
11
16
22

In the corners, both the Coolpix A and the GR produce respectable results.  Image quality only worsens slightly as the aperture decreases.  The GR exhibits less distortion and therefore has more resolving power.

The GRD IV does noticeably worse than the other cameras and it is again worse at F1.9 than at other aperture settings, but its output is still impressive for a 1/1.7" sensor.

Sharpness Verdict

These test results show that both the Coolpix A and the GR can be comfortably used wide-open, something that we are very happy to see.  The two cameras are capable of taking razor-sharp photos that can easily match the quality of DSLR files.  The GRD IV, though inferior to the two APS-C models, still does very well.  All three optical designs are worthy of recognition.