Ricoh WG-8 has a
20.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Olympus TG-1 iHS has a
12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features TruePic VI processor.
Ricoh WG-8's sensor provides 8MP more than Olympus TG-1 iHS'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-8 and TG-1 iHS sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Ricoh WG-8 and Olympus TG-1 iHS Cameras
Ricoh WG-8 and Olympus TG-1 iHS have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Olympus TG-1 iHS has 71% larger pixel area (2.38µm 2 vs 1.39µm 2 ) compared to Ricoh WG-8, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Ricoh WG-8
or the
Olympus TG-1 iHS ,
including hyperfocal distance.
