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

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Panasonic SZ1

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

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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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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
	Report a correction	Report a correction