Ricoh WG-6 vs Leica X Vario Comparison

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Ricoh WG-6

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

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Leica X Vario

16 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Ricoh WG-6 vs Leica X Vario Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Ricoh WG-6, which was introduced in February 2018 is a Waterproof camera with a 20.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Leica X Vario, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 16.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, X Vario is 5 years older than WG-6. 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 WG-6 and Leica X Vario before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Ricoh WG-6 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

246g. 118 x 66 x 33 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Ricoh WG-5 GPS Compare

Leica X Vario Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-06-11

16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12500

28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 Zoom Lens

3" Fixed Type Screen

5 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

680g. 133 x 73 x 95 mm

Replaced Leica X2 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Ricoh WG-6 over Leica X Vario

Image Stabilization	Digital only vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Max Sensor Resolution	20 MP vs 16 MP	25% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 920k dots	13% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Weight	246 g vs 680 g	434 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Tele	140mm vs 70mm	70 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	5x vs 2.5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	5.50 vs 6.40	faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution	3840x2160 vs 1920 x 1080	Higher Resolution Video
Digital video stabilization	Yes vs No	Stabilizes your videos in-camera

Reasons to choose Leica X Vario over Ricoh WG-6

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max ISO	12.500 vs 6.400	95% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	11 vs 9	2 more focus points
Battery Life	450 shots vs 340 shots	110 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Sensor Pixel Area	23.13µm² vs 1.39µm²	1564% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range	±3 EV vs ±2 EV	Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR

Common Strengths of Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario

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-6 and Leica X Vario

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles

Ricoh WG-6 vs Leica X Vario: 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-6 and Leica X Vario side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Ricoh WG-6 has external dimensions of 118 x 66 x 33 mm (4.65 x 2.6 x 1.3″) and weighs 246 g (0.54 lb / 8.68 oz) (including batteries). Leica X Vario has external dimensions of 133 x 73 x 95 mm (5.24 x 2.87 x 3.74″) and weighs 680 g (1.50 lb / 23.99 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario. Ricoh WG-6 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 15mm narrower, 7mm shorter and 62mm thinner than Leica X Vario.

Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario.

Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario.

Top View Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Ricoh WG-6 is significantly lighter (434g ) than the Leica X Vario which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-6

X Vario

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-6

X Vario

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario'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 WG-6 vs Leica X Vario: Sensor Comparison

Ricoh WG-6 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the WG-6 and X Vario sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario Cameras

As seen above, Leica X Vario has a 13.3x Larger sensor area than Ricoh WG-6. 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.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Leica X Vario Lens Specs Comparison

Ricoh WG-6 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5x zoom lens whereas Leica X Vario features a 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 2.5× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 28mm and have the same max aperture of f3.50 at this focal length. On the tele end, Ricoh WG-6 has 70mm longer reach than the Leica X Vario. At f5.50, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

WG-6

X Vario

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

WG-6

X Vario

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

WG-6

X Vario

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

WG-6

X Vario

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Ricoh WG-6 and Leica X Vario 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-6 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario 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

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Street Photography

GOOD

Leica X Vario 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

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Sports Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario 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

RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
11 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
70 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica X Vario for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
246g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
680g
Body Thickness 95mm
2.5X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

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

Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 vs Leica X Vario: 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-6 and Leica X Vario, 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-6 and Leica X Vario scores compare:

Ricoh WG-6

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #72 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #513 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Leica X Vario

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #41 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #379 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Leica X Vario is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Ricoh WG-6 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Ricoh WG-6. Otherwise, Leica X Vario is the better camera overall.

Leica X Vario vs Ricoh WG-6 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Ricoh WG-6	Leica X Vario
Brand	Ricoh	Leica
Announced	2018-02-21	2013-06-11
Body Type	Compact	Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	APS-C
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area	28.07mm²	372.88mm²
Megapixels	20 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	5184 x 3888	4928 x 3272
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	12,500 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	11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5x)	28-70 mm (2.5×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.5	F3.5-6.4
Macro Focus Range	1cm	n/a
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	1,040k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Digital only	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.50 m (with Auto ISO)	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	n/a	5.0 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
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Supports FlashAir SD cards	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	246g	680g
Dimensions	118 x 66 x 33mm	133 x 73 x 95mm
Battery Life	340 shots	450 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	78
DxO Color Depth	not tested	23.4
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	12.7
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	1320
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