Ricoh G900 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Canon A490 has a 10.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor .
Ricoh G900's sensor provides 10MP more than Canon A490'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 A490 sensor size comparison.
![Ricoh G900 vs Canon A490 Sensor Size Comparison]()
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Canon A490 Cameras
Ricoh G900 and Canon A490 have 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 Canon A490 has 102% larger pixel area (2.81µm2 vs 1.39µm2) compared to Ricoh G900, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.