Panasonic ZS40 has a
18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor. On the other hand, Ricoh CX2 has a
9.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Smooth Imaging Engine IV processor.
Panasonic ZS40's sensor provides 9MP more than Ricoh CX2'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 ZS40 and CX2 sensor size comparison.
Panasonic ZS40 and Ricoh CX2 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Ricoh CX2 has 100% larger pixel area (3.13µm2 vs 1.56µm2) compared to Panasonic ZS40, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.