Ricoh G900 vs Pentax WG-3 Comparison

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Ricoh G900

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

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Pentax WG-3

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

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Ricoh G900 vs Pentax WG-3 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing G900 and WG-3, two Waterproof cameras from Ricoh and Pentax. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Ricoh G900 has a 20.0 MP and Pentax WG-3 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Ricoh G900 was introduced to market in February 2018 and Pentax WG-3 was launched in July 2013. As you can see, WG-3 is 5 years older than G900. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Ricoh G900 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2018-02-21

20MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 6400

28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens

Digital only Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840x2160 video resolution

247g. 118 x 66 x 33 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Pentax WG-3 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-07-19

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

ISO 125 - 6400

25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

230g. 124 x 64 x 33 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Ricoh G900 over Pentax WG-3

Max Sensor Resolution	20 MP vs 16 MP	25% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 460k dots	126% higher resolution screen
Battery Life	340 shots vs 240 shots	100 more frames with a single charge
Focal Length - Tele	140mm vs 100mm	40 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	5x vs 4×	more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage	5.5m vs 3.4m	2.1m longer range
Max Video Resolution	3840x2160 vs 1920 x 1080	Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Reasons to choose Pentax WG-3 over Ricoh G900

Weight	230 g vs 247 g	17 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.00 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.50	faster lens at tele

Common Strengths of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3

Image Stabilization	Digital only vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Continuous Shooting	fps vs 10.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs Yes	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs Yes	creative shooting

Common Weaknesses of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality

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Ricoh G900 vs Pentax WG-3: 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 Pentax WG-3 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). Pentax WG-3 has external dimensions of 124 x 64 x 33 mm (4.9 x 2.5 x 1.3″) and weighs 230 g (0.51 lb / 8.11 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3.

Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3.

Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3.

Top View Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax WG-3 is 17g lighter than the Ricoh G900 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

G900

WG-3

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

G900

WG-3

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Ricoh G900 vs Pentax WG-3: Sensor Comparison

Ricoh G900 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Pentax WG-3 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the G900 and WG-3 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 Cameras

Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Ricoh G900 vs Pentax WG-3 Lens Specs Comparison

Ricoh G900 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5x zoom lens whereas Pentax WG-3 features a 25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 4× zoom lens.

Pentax WG-3 has 3mm wider coverage than the Ricoh G900. At f2.00, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Ricoh G900 has 40mm longer reach than the Pentax WG-3. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Pentax WG-3 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

G900

WG-3

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

G900

WG-3

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

G900

WG-3

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

G900

WG-3

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 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

Pentax WG-3 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
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
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Street Photography

GOOD

Pentax WG-3 for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
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 RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Sports Photography

POOR

Pentax WG-3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
140 mm Tele Lens
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

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Pentax WG-3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
247g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
230g
Environmental Sealings
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Pentax WG-3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
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

Ricoh G900 vs Pentax WG-3: 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 Pentax WG-3, 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 Ricoh G900 and Pentax WG-3 scores compare:

Ricoh G900

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #71 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #514 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Pentax WG-3

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #52 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #472 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Pentax WG-3 has a higher Overall Score than the Ricoh G900. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that WG-3 trails behind the G900: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Ricoh G900. If not, we recommend the Pentax WG-3.

Pentax WG-3 vs Ricoh G900 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Ricoh G900	Pentax WG-3
Brand	Ricoh	Pentax
Announced	2018-02-21	2013-07-19
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	20 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	5184 x 3888	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	125 ISO	125 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	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5x)	25-100 mm (4×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.5	F2.0-4.9
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	1,040k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Digital only	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.50 m (with Auto ISO)	3.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	n/a	10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840x2160	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Supports FlashAir SD cards	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	247g	230g
Dimensions	118 x 66 x 33mm	124 x 64 x 33mm
Battery Life	340 shots	240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction