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Ricoh WG-6 vs Zeiss ZX1 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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Zeiss ZX1

37 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Zeiss ZX1
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Ricoh WG-6 vs Zeiss ZX1 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 Zeiss ZX1, which was introduced in September 2018 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 37.0MP Full frame sensor. There is only 7 months difference between WG-6 and ZX1 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1 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

Zeiss ZX1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-09-27
  • 37MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 51200
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 4.34" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 6220k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 3.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 800g. 142 x 93 x 46 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Ricoh WG-6 over Zeiss ZX1
Image Stabilization
Digital only vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Weight
246 g vs 800 g 554 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 more flexible focal coverage
Digital video stabilization
Yes vs No Stabilizes your videos in-camera


Reasons to choose Zeiss ZX1 over Ricoh WG-6
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Supports FlashAir SD cards Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
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 Sensor Resolution
37 MP vs 20 MP 85% more pixels
Max ISO
51.200 vs 6.400 700% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
255 vs 9 246 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
4.34" vs 3" 1.34 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
2.765k dots vs 1.040k dots 165% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Max Aperture - Wide
2.00 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.00 vs 5.50 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
23.11µm2 vs 1.39µm2 1562% larger pixel area
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth

Common Strengths of Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
20 MP vs 37 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 4.34" Large display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 2.765k 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 Zeiss ZX1
Ricoh WG-6 vs Zeiss ZX1: 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 Zeiss ZX1 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). Zeiss ZX1 has external dimensions of 142 x 93 x 46 mm (5.59 x 3.66 x 1.81″) and weighs 800 g (1.76 lb / 28.22 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1. Ricoh WG-6 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 24mm narrower, 27mm shorter and 13mm thinner than Zeiss ZX1.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Zeiss ZX1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Zeiss ZX1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1.
Ricoh WG-6 vs Zeiss ZX1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1 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 (554g ) than the Zeiss ZX1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-6
ZX1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-6
ZX1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Zeiss ZX1's 4.34" LCD screen is slightly larger than Ricoh WG-6's 3" screen.

Moreover, Zeiss ZX1 sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Ricoh WG-6 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to ZX1.
Ricoh WG-6 vs Zeiss ZX1: 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, Zeiss ZX1 has a 37.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Zeiss ZX1's sensor provides 17MP more than Ricoh WG-6's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the WG-6 and ZX1 sensor size comparison.

Ricoh WG-6 vs Zeiss ZX1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1 Cameras


As seen above, Zeiss ZX1 has a 30.8x 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 Zeiss ZX1 Lens Specs Comparison

Ricoh WG-6 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5x zoom lens whereas Zeiss ZX1 features a 35 mm F2-22 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 Zeiss ZX1's 35mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, ZX1'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 Zeiss ZX1. However, with a max aperture of f2.00, Zeiss ZX1 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

WG-6
ZX1
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

WG-6
ZX1
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

WG-6
ZX1
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

WG-6
ZX1
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Ricoh WG-6 and Zeiss ZX1 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

Zeiss ZX1 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
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 Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 37.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Street Photography

GOOD

Zeiss ZX1 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 Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Sports Photography

POOR

Zeiss ZX1 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
255 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Zeiss ZX1 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 Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
800g
Body Thickness 46mm
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Zeiss ZX1 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 (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 37.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Ricoh WG-6 vs Zeiss ZX1: 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 Zeiss ZX1, 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 Zeiss ZX1 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
Zeiss ZX1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #5 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #72 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Zeiss ZX1 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, Zeiss ZX1 is the better camera overall.

Ricoh WG-6
Ricoh WG-6
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Zeiss ZX1
Zeiss ZX1
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Zeiss ZX1 vs Ricoh WG-6 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Ricoh WG-6 Zeiss ZX1
Brand Ricoh Zeiss
Announced 2018-02-21 2018-09-27
Body Type Compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch Full frame
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 36 x 24 mm
Area 28.07mm2 864.00mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 37 megapixels
Max Resolution 5184 x 3888 7488 x 4992
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 51,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 ISO 80 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 9 255
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 28-140 mm (5x) 35 mm ()
Max Aperture F3.5-5.5 F2-22
Macro Focus Range 1cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 3" 4.34"
Resolution 1,040k dots 2,765k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 6,221k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/8000s
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) no built-in flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 3.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840x2160 3840 x 2160
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Supports FlashAir SD cards Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 246g 800g
Dimensions 118 x 66 x 33mm 142 x 93 x 46mm
Battery Life 340 shots n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Built-in None
DxO Sensor Scores
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