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Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic SZ1 Comparison

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Ricoh WG-6

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

Ricoh WG-6
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Panasonic SZ1

16 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

Panasonic SZ1
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Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic SZ1 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 Panasonic SZ1, which was introduced in January 2012 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, SZ1 is 6 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 Panasonic SZ1 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

Panasonic SZ1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-01-09
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 25-250 mm F3.1-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 131g. 99 x 59 x 21 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Ricoh WG-6 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1
Max Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 16 MP 25% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 230k dots 352% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/1600s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
340 shots vs 250 shots 90 more frames with a single charge
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Aperture - Tele
5.50 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution
3840x2160 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1 over Ricoh WG-6
Number of Focus Points
23 vs 9 14 more focus points
Weight
131 g vs 246 g 115 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 28mm 3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
250mm vs 140mm 110 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
10× vs 5x more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.10 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide

Common Strengths of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1
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
Common Weaknesses of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1
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
Continuous Shooting
fps vs 1.0fps Slow shooting speeds
New4
Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic SZ1: 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 Panasonic SZ1 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 SZ1 has external dimensions of 99 x 59 x 21 mm (3.9 x 2.32 x 0.83″) and weighs 131 g (0.29 lb / 4.62 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1. Panasonic SZ1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 19mm narrower, 7mm shorter and 12mm thinner than Ricoh WG-6.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic SZ1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic SZ1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1.
Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic SZ1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic SZ1 is significantly lighter (115g ) than the Ricoh WG-6 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-6
SZ1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-6
SZ1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1'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 Panasonic SZ1: 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, Panasonic SZ1 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Below you can see the WG-6 and SZ1 sensor size comparison.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic SZ1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1 Cameras


Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic SZ1 Lens Specs Comparison

Ricoh WG-6 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5x zoom lens whereas Panasonic SZ1 features a 25-250 mm F3.1-5.9 10× zoom lens.

Panasonic SZ1 has 3mm wider coverage than the Ricoh WG-6. At f3.10, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic SZ1 has 110mm longer telezoom reach than the Ricoh WG-6. However, with a max aperture of f5.50, Ricoh WG-6 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

WG-6
SZ1
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

WG-6
SZ1
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

WG-6
SZ1
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

WG-6
SZ1
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Ricoh WG-6 and Panasonic SZ1 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 SZ1 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
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic SZ1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
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
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic SZ1 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
23 Focus Points
250 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic SZ1 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
Compact Body
131g
Body Thickness 21mm
10.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic SZ1 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
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 vs Panasonic SZ1: 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 SZ1, 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 Panasonic SZ1 scores compare:

Ricoh WG-6
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #72 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #512 out of 1225 in all Cameras
Panasonic SZ1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #344 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #999 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Ricoh WG-6 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic SZ1 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Ricoh WG-6.

Ricoh WG-6
Ricoh WG-6
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Panasonic SZ1
Panasonic SZ1
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Panasonic SZ1 vs Ricoh WG-6 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Ricoh WG-6 Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1
Brand Ricoh Panasonic
Announced 2018-02-21 2012-01-09
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CCD
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area 28.07mm2 27.72mm2
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 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 (5x) 25-250 mm (10×)
Max Aperture F3.5-5.5 F3.1-5.9
Macro Focus Range 1cm 4cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 1,040k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/1600s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Digital only Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.50 m (with Auto ISO) 5.60 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 1.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840x2160 1280 x 720
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 131g
Dimensions 118 x 66 x 33mm 99 x 59 x 21mm
Battery Life 340 shots 250 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Built-in None
DxO Sensor Scores
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