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Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic GM5 Comparison

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Ricoh WG-6

20 MP | 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor

Ricoh WG-6
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Panasonic GM5

16 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic GM5
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Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic GM5 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 sensor whereas Panasonic GM5, which was introduced in September 2014 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 16.0MP Four Thirds sensor. As you can see, GM5 is 4 years older than WG-6. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic GM5 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Ricoh WG-6 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-02-21
  • 20MP - 1/2.3 BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 246g. 118 x 66 x 33 mm
  • Weather-sealed Body
  • Replaced Ricoh WG-5 GPS Compare

Panasonic GM5 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-09-15
  • 16MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 25600 ( expands to 100)
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 5.8fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 211g. 99 x 60 x 36 mm
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 Compare

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic GM5 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Ricoh WG-6 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Internal Storage
27MB vs None Extra built-in storage
Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 16 MP 25% more pixels
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/500s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
340 shots vs 220 shots 120 more frames with a single charge
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Digital video stabilization
Yes vs No Stabilizes your videos in-camera
USB Version
USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
CHECK WG-6 PRICE


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 over Ricoh WG-6
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Supports FlashAir SD cards Better connectivity
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max ISO
25.600 vs 6.400 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
23 vs 9 14 more focus points
Weight
211 g vs 246 g 35 g lighter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Sensor Pixel Area
14.21µm2 vs 1.39µm2 922% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range
±3 EV vs ±2 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
CHECK GM5 PRICE

Common Strengths of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Continuous Shooting
fps vs 5.8fps Fast shooting speeds
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5
In-body Image Stabilization
Digital only vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic GM5: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic GM5 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). Panasonic GM5 has external dimensions of 99 x 60 x 36 mm (3.9 x 2.36 x 1.42″) and weighs 211 g (0.47 lb / 7.44 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Ricoh WG-6 and the Panasonic GM5. Panasonic GM5 is 19mm narrower and 6mm shorter than Ricoh WG-6 but it is also 3mm thicker. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Ricoh WG-6 has a built-in lens but Panasonic GM5 doesn't. Once you put a lens on GM5, its thickness will increase significantly.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic GM5 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Ricoh WG-6 and the Panasonic GM5 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic GM5.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic GM5 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Ricoh WG-6 and the Panasonic GM5 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic GM5.
Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic GM5 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Ricoh WG-6 and the the Panasonic GM5 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic GM5 is significantly lighter (35g ) than the Ricoh WG-6 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on GM5, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather-sealed body of the WG-6, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to the GM5.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic GM5's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

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


Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic GM5: Sensor Comparison

Ricoh WG-6 has a 20.0MP 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Panasonic GM5 has a 16.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.

Below you can see the WG-6 and GM5 sensor size comparison.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic GM5 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic GM5 Cameras


As seen above, Panasonic GM5 has a 8.0x 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.

What types of Photography are Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic GM5 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic GM5 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

Panasonic GM5 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Image Stabilization
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 Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic GM5 for Street Photography

GOOD
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic GM5 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
140 mm Tele Lens
No Image Stabilization
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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.8fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/500s
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic GM5 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
246g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
211g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic GM5 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic GM5: 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 Panasonic GM5, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Panasonic GM5 scores compare:

Ricoh WG-6
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #67 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #539 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Panasonic GM5
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #47 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #271 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Panasonic GM5 has a higher Overall Score but this doesn't make it an easy decision. Panasonic GM5 may have better image quality, more features and smaller body compared to but Ricoh WG-6 offers higher value for the money.
If you are a price conscious buyer and don't need the extra features, image quality and compactness that Panasonic GM5 offers, Ricoh WG-6 is the better choice for you. In all other cases, we recommend the Panasonic GM5!

Ricoh WG-6
Ricoh WG-6
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Panasonic GM5
Panasonic GM5
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Panasonic GM5 vs Ricoh WG-6 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Ricoh WG-6 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5
Brand Ricoh Panasonic
Announced 2018-02-21 2014-09-15
Body Type Compact Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3 Four Thirds
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 17.3 x 13 mm
Area 28.07mm2 224.90mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 4592 x 3448
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 25,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 ISO 200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 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 Micro Four Thirds
Lens Focal Range 28-140 mm (5x) no lens
Max Aperture F3.5-5.5 no lens
Macro Focus Range 1cm no lens
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 1,166k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.46x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/500s
Max Electronic Shutter n/a 1/16000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Digital only No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.50 m (with Auto ISO) no built-in flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 5.8 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Supports FlashAir SD cards Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 246g 211g
Dimensions 118 x 66 x 33mm 99 x 60 x 36mm
Battery Life 340 shots 220 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Built-in None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 66
DxO Color Depth not tested 22.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.7
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 721
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