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Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40 Comparison

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Camera to replace
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Ricoh WG-20

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Ricoh WG-20
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Panasonic ZS40

18 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic ZS40
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Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Ricoh WG-20, which was introduced in February 2014 is a Waterproof camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Panasonic ZS40, which was introduced in January 2014 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. There is only 1 months difference between WG-20 and ZS40 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Ricoh WG-20 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-02-05
  • 14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens
  • Digital only Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 164g. 114 x 58 x 28 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Panasonic ZS40 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-01-06
  • 18MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)
  • 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 200k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 240g. 111 x 64 x 34 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ60
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 Compare

Panasonic ZS40 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 (Lumix DMC-TZ60)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 vs Ricoh WG-20

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Ricoh WG-20 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Weight
164 g vs 240 g 76 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Aperture - Tele
5.50 vs 6.40 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.04µm2 vs 1.56µm2 30% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range
±2 EV vs ±1 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 over Ricoh WG-20
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 14 MP 28% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
23 vs 9 14 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
920k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 1.0fps 9 fps faster
Battery Life
300 shots vs 260 shots 40 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 28mm 4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
720mm vs 140mm 580 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
30× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.30 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
6.4m vs 4.0m 2.4m longer range
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Strengths of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40
Image Stabilization
Digital only vs Optical 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
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40: 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 WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Ricoh WG-20 has external dimensions of 114 x 58 x 28 mm (4.49 x 2.28 x 1.1″) and weighs 164 g (0.36 lb / 5.78 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic ZS40 has external dimensions of 111 x 64 x 34 mm (4.37 x 2.52 x 1.34″) and weighs 240 g (0.53 lb / 8.47 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40. Ricoh WG-20 is 6mm shorter and 6mm thinner than Panasonic ZS40 but it is also 3mm wider.

Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40.

Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40.
Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Ricoh WG-20 is significantly lighter (76g ) than the Panasonic ZS40 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-20
ZS40
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-20
ZS40
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS40's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Ricoh WG-20's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40: Sensor Comparison

Ricoh WG-20 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Panasonic ZS40 has a 18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Below you can see the WG-20 and ZS40 sensor size comparison.

Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 Cameras


Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 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 Ricoh WG-20 has 30% larger pixel area compared to Panasonic ZS40, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40 Lens Specs Comparison

Ricoh WG-20 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS40 features a 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 30× zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS40 has 4mm wider coverage than the Ricoh WG-20. At f3.30, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS40 has 580mm longer telezoom reach than the Ricoh WG-20. However, with a max aperture of f5.50, Ricoh WG-20 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

WG-20
ZS40
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

WG-20
ZS40
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

WG-20
ZS40
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

WG-20
ZS40
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Ricoh WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 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 WG-20 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS40 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Ricoh WG-20 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS40 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
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
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Ricoh WG-20 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS40 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
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
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1500s
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Ricoh WG-20 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS40 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
164g
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
240g
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Ricoh WG-20 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS40 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Focus Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Ricoh WG-20 vs Panasonic ZS40: 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 WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40, 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 WG-20 and Panasonic ZS40 scores compare:

Ricoh WG-20
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #148 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #662 out of 1225 in all Cameras
Panasonic ZS40
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #35 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #412 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS40 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Ricoh WG-20 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Ricoh WG-20. Otherwise, Panasonic ZS40 is the better camera overall.

Ricoh WG-20
Ricoh WG-20
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Panasonic ZS40
Panasonic ZS40
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Panasonic ZS40 vs Ricoh WG-20 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Ricoh WG-20 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40
Brand Ricoh Panasonic
Announced 2014-02-05 2014-01-06
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CCD 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 14 megapixels 18 megapixels
Max Resolution 4288 x 3216 4896 x 3672
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 6400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 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 23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 28-140 mm (5×) 24-720 mm (30×)
Max Aperture F3.5-5.5 F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range 1cm 3cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.7" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 200k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/1500s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Digital only Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 4.00 m (Auto ISO) 6.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 164g 240g
Dimensions 114 x 58 x 28mm 111 x 64 x 34mm
Battery Life 260 shots 300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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