Ricoh G900 vs Pentax XG-1 Comparison

Camera to replace

Change

Ricoh G900

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

CHECK PRICE

Change

Pentax XG-1

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

CHECK PRICE

Ricoh G900 vs Pentax XG-1 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Ricoh G900, which was introduced in February 2018 is a Waterproof camera with a 20.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Pentax XG-1, which was introduced in July 2014 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, XG-1 is 4 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 XG-1 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 XG-1 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-07-15

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

ISO 100 - 3200

24-1248 mm F2.8-5.6 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

200k dot Electronic viewfinder

9 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

567g. 119 x 89 x 98 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Ricoh G900 over Pentax XG-1

Max Sensor Resolution	20 MP vs 16 MP	25% more pixels
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 460k dots	126% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life	340 shots vs 240 shots	100 more frames with a single charge
Weight	247 g vs 567 g	320 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Max Aperture - Tele	5.50 vs 5.60	faster lens at tele
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 XG-1 over Ricoh G900

Wireless Connection	Eye-Fi Connected vs Supports FlashAir SD cards	Better connectivity
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	1248mm vs 140mm	1108 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	52× vs 5x	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.80 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	6.0m vs 5.5m	0.5m longer range

Common Strengths of Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1

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
Continuous Shooting	fps vs 9.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes

Common Weaknesses of Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography

Ricoh G900 vs Pentax XG-1: 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 XG-1 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 XG-1 has external dimensions of 119 x 89 x 98 mm (4.69 x 3.5 x 3.84″) and weighs 567 g (1.25 lb / 20.00 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1. Ricoh G900 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 1mm narrower, 23mm shorter and 65mm thinner than Pentax XG-1.

Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1.

Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1.

Top View Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Ricoh G900 is significantly lighter (320g ) than the Pentax XG-1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

G900

XG-1

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

G900

XG-1

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1'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 XG-1: 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 XG-1 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 XG-1 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1 Cameras

Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1 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 XG-1 Lens Specs Comparison

Ricoh G900 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5x zoom lens whereas Pentax XG-1 features a 24-1248 mm F2.8-5.6 52× zoom lens.

Pentax XG-1 has 4mm wider coverage than the Ricoh G900. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Pentax XG-1 has 1108mm longer telezoom reach than the Ricoh G900. However, with a max aperture of f5.50, Ricoh G900 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

G900

XG-1

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

G900

XG-1

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

G900

XG-1

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

G900

XG-1

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Ricoh G900 and Pentax XG-1 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 XG-1 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Street Photography

GOOD

Pentax XG-1 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Sports Photography

POOR

Pentax XG-1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Wireless Connection
1248 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Pentax XG-1 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

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

52.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
567g
Body Thickness 98mm
Read the details

Ricoh G900 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Pentax XG-1 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
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Ricoh G900 vs Pentax XG-1: 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 XG-1, 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 XG-1 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 XG-1

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #84 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #690 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Ricoh G900 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Pentax XG-1 in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Pentax XG-1 vs Ricoh G900 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Ricoh G900	Pentax XG-1
Brand	Ricoh	Pentax
Announced	2018-02-21	2014-07-15
Body Type	Compact	SLR-like (bridge)
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	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	125 ISO	100 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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5x)	24-1248 mm (52×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.5	F2.8-5.6
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	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder	200k dots
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/2000s
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)	6.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	n/a	9.0 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	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Supports FlashAir SD cards	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	247g	567g
Dimensions	118 x 66 x 33mm	119 x 89 x 98mm
Battery Life	340 shots	240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction