Pentax WG-2 GPS vs Nikon P7800 Comparison

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Pentax WG-2 GPS

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Nikon P7800

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Pentax WG-2 GPS vs Nikon P7800 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Pentax WG-2 GPS, which was introduced in February 2012 is a Waterproof camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Nikon P7800, which was introduced in November 2013 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor. There is 22 months difference between WG-2 GPS and P7800 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger P7800, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Pentax WG-2 GPS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-02-07

16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 6400

28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens

3" Fixed Type Screen

1.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in GPS

198g. 122 x 61 x 30 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Nikon P7800 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-11-25

12MP - 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600 ( expands to 6400)

28-200 mm F2.0-4.0 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fully Articulated Screen

921k dot Electronic viewfinder

8.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

120fps High-Speed Video

399g. 119 x 78 x 50 mm

Replaced Nikon P7700 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Pentax Optio WG-2 GPS over Nikon Coolpix P7800

GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Max ISO	6.400 vs 1.600	300% higher Max ISO
Weight	198 g vs 399 g	201 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P7800 over Pentax Optio WG-2 GPS

Image Stabilization	Optical vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
LCD Screen	Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Number of Focus Points	99 vs 9	90 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	921k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	8.0fps vs 1.0fps	7 fps faster
Battery Life	350 shots vs 260 shots	90 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Tele	200mm vs 140mm	60 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	7.1� vs 5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.00 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.00 vs 5.50	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	10.0m vs 5.4m	4.6m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	3.46µm² vs 2.04µm²	69% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Built-in ND Filter	3.0-stops vs No	Use larger aperture under strong light
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD	Yes vs No	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Pentax Optio WG-2 GPS and Nikon Coolpix P7800

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs Yes	creative shooting

Common Weaknesses of Pentax Optio WG-2 GPS and Nikon Coolpix P7800

Pentax WG-2 GPS vs Nikon P7800: 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 Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Pentax WG-2 GPS has external dimensions of 122 x 61 x 30 mm (4.8 x 2.4 x 1.18″) and weighs 198 g (0.44 lb / 6.98 oz) (including batteries). Nikon P7800 has external dimensions of 119 x 78 x 50 mm (4.69 x 3.07 x 1.97″) and weighs 399 g (0.88 lb / 14.07 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800. Pentax WG-2 GPS is 17mm shorter and 20mm thinner than Nikon P7800 but it is also 3mm wider.

Comparison image of Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800.

Comparison image of Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800.

Top View Comparison image of Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax WG-2 GPS is significantly lighter (201g ) than the Nikon P7800 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-2 GPS

P7800

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-2 GPS

P7800

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Nikon P7800 sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Pentax WG-2 GPS's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to P7800.

Pentax WG-2 GPS vs Nikon P7800: Sensor Comparison

Pentax WG-2 GPS has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Nikon P7800 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the WG-2 GPS and P7800 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 Cameras

As seen above, Nikon P7800 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Pentax WG-2 GPS. 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.

Pentax WG-2 GPS vs Nikon P7800 Lens Specs Comparison

Pentax WG-2 GPS features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5× zoom lens whereas Nikon P7800 features a 28-200 mm F2.0-4.0 7.1� zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 28mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.00, Nikon P7800 is faster than Pentax WG-2 GPS at this focal length. On the tele end, Nikon P7800 has 60mm longer reach than the Pentax WG-2 GPS. At f4.00, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

WG-2 GPS

P7800

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

WG-2 GPS

P7800

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

WG-2 GPS

P7800

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

WG-2 GPS

P7800

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 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.

Pentax WG-2 GPS for Portrait Photography

POOR

Nikon P7800 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) 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

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Pentax WG-2 GPS for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon P7800 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Pentax WG-2 GPS for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon P7800 for Sports Photography

POOR

Manual Focus Mode
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
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
99 Focus Points
200 mm Tele Lens
Fast Lens at Tele: f4.00
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Pentax WG-2 GPS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon P7800 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
198g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
7.1X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
399g
Body Thickness 50mm
Read the details

Pentax WG-2 GPS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon P7800 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Focus Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Built-in GPS
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

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

Pentax WG-2 GPS vs Nikon P7800: 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 Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800, 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 Pentax WG-2 GPS and Nikon P7800 scores compare:

Pentax WG-2 GPS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #97 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #570 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Nikon P7800

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #1 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #223 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Nikon P7800 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Pentax WG-2 GPS in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Pentax WG-2 GPS. Otherwise, Nikon P7800 is the better camera overall.

Nikon P7800 vs Pentax WG-2 GPS Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Pentax Optio WG-2 GPS	Nikon Coolpix P7800
Brand	Pentax	Nikon
Announced	2012-02-07	2013-11-25
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/1.7-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area	28.07mm²	41.52mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4288 x 3216	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	6400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	125 ISO	80 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	99
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5×)	28-200 mm (7.1�)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.5	F2.0-4.0
Macro Focus Range	1cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fully Articulated
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder	921k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	100%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	No	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.40 m	10.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	8.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
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	Eye-Fi Connected	Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	198g	399g
Dimensions	122 x 61 x 30mm	119 x 78 x 50mm
Battery Life	260 shots	350 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	54
DxO Color Depth	not tested	21.2
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.7
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	200
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