Ricoh WG-6 vs Sony RX1R 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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Sony RX1R

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Ricoh WG-6 vs Sony RX1R 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 Sony RX1R, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor. As you can see, RX1R 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 Sony RX1R 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

Sony RX1R Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-06-26

24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter

ISO 100 - 25600

35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

5.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

482g. 113 x 65 x 70 mm

Sony RX1R was replaced by Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II vs Ricoh WG-6

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Ricoh WG-6 and Sony RX1R compares 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R

Battery Life	340 shots vs 270 shots	70 more frames with a single charge
Weight	246 g vs 482 g	236 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	28mm vs 35mm	7 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	140mm vs 35mm	105 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	5x vs 1x	more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080	Higher Resolution Video
Digital video stabilization	Yes vs No	Stabilizes your videos in-camera

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R over Ricoh WG-6

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution	24 MP vs 20 MP	19% more pixels
Max ISO	25.600 vs 6.400	300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	25 vs 9	16 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	1.229k dots vs 1.040k dots	18% higher resolution screen
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide	2.00 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.00 vs 5.50	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	6.0m vs 5.5m	0.5m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	35.65µm² vs 1.39µm²	2464% 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	20 MP vs 24 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 1.229k dots	High resolution screens
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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R

In-body Image Stabilization	Digital only vs No	No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles

Ricoh WG-6 vs Sony RX1R: 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 Sony RX1R 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). Sony RX1R has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 70 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.76″) and weighs 482 g (1.06 lb / 17.00 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Sony RX1R. Sony RX1R is 5mm narrower and 1mm shorter than Ricoh WG-6 but it is also 37mm thicker.

Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Sony RX1R Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Sony RX1R.

Top View Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Sony RX1R 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 (236g ) than the Sony RX1R which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-6

RX1R

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-6

RX1R

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Ricoh WG-6 and Sony RX1R's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

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

Ricoh WG-6 vs Sony RX1R: 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, Sony RX1R has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Sony RX1R's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the WG-6 and RX1R sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Sony RX1R Cameras

As seen above, Sony RX1R has a 30.5x 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 Sony RX1R Lens Specs Comparison

Ricoh WG-6 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5x zoom lens whereas Sony RX1R features a 35 mm F2.0 Prime lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Ricoh WG-6's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Sony RX1R's 35mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, RX1R's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Ricoh WG-6 has 105mm longer reach than the Sony RX1R. However, with a max aperture of f2.00, Sony RX1R is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

WG-6

RX1R

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

WG-6

RX1R

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

WG-6

RX1R

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

WG-6

RX1R

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Ricoh WG-6 and Sony RX1R Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Ricoh WG-6 and Sony RX1R 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

Sony RX1R for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) 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 Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1R for Street Photography

GOOD

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 Image Stabilization
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony RX1R for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Manual Focus Mode
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

RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1R for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

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 Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
482g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony RX1R 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 Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 vs Sony RX1R: 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 Sony RX1R, 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 Sony RX1R scores compare:

Ricoh WG-6

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #67 out of 476 in Compact cameras
Ranked #520 out of 1237 in all Cameras

Sony RX1R

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #17 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #199 out of 1237 in all Cameras

Sony RX1R 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, Sony RX1R is the better camera overall.

Sony RX1R vs Ricoh WG-6 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Ricoh WG-6	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Brand	Ricoh	Sony
Announced	2018-02-21	2013-06-26
Body Type	Compact	Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CMOS
Size	1/2.3"	Full frame
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	35.8 x 23.9 mm
Area	28.07mm²	855.62mm²
Megapixels	20 megapixels	24 megapixels
Max Resolution	5184 x 3888	6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	25,600 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	25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5x)	35 mm (1x)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.5	F2.0
Macro Focus Range	1cm	n/a
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	1,040k dots	1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic and Optical (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
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)	6.00 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	1/4000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	n/a	5.0 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	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	246g	482g
Dimensions	118 x 66 x 33mm	113 x 65 x 70mm
Battery Life	340 shots	270 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	91
DxO Color Depth	not tested	25.0
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	13.6
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	2537
	Report a correction	Report a correction