Canon SX40 HS vs. Ricoh WG-20: A Hands-On Superzoom and Waterproof Showdown

Selecting the right camera can feel a little like dating - you weigh initial attraction, compatibility, quirks, and long-term potential before making a commitment. Today, we're looking at two rather different contenders, both launched within a few years of each other but targeting very distinct niches: the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS, a 2011-era bridge superzoom with SLR-like ergonomics, and the Ricoh WG-20, a 2014 waterproof tough compact.

These cameras aren’t just about megapixels or specs on paper; they’re about the real-world experience - how they feel in hand, perform across photography genres, and handle practical challenges. As someone who's tested thousands of cameras over 15 years, I’ve spent time with each in varied conditions to give you honest, nuanced insights. Let’s dig in.

First Impressions: Size, Shape, and Handling

Before snapping a single image, your tactile and ergonomic relationship with a camera sets the tone for everything that follows. This is where the Canon SX40 HS flexes its muscles against the far smaller, utilitarian Ricoh WG-20.

The Canon SX40 HS is unapologetically a bridge camera - chunky, substantial, and designed to echo some of the handling dynamics of a DSLR. Measuring 123mm wide by 92mm tall and 108mm deep, and weighing about 600 grams, it respresents mid-sized heft. The pronounced grip, dedicated dials, and physically evident zoom ring invite confident, deliberate shooting. This camera feels serious, like it means business.

Contrast this with the Ricoh WG-20’s compact, lightweight form factor - just 114x58x28mm and a mere 164 grams. This compactness is no accident but a deliberate choice to enable ruggedness and portability. It fits neatly in a pocket, ready at a moment’s notice, and begs to be taken on hikes, poolside adventures, or beach escapades.

If you favor polished control interfaces and a camera that feels like an extension of your hand, the SX40 HS wins here hands down. But if ultimate portability, low profile, and survivability in rough conditions are priorities, the WG-20 makes a compelling case.

How Controls and Interface Shape the Shooting Experience

Once you’ve powered on, the top plate and rear user interface dictate how instinctive or fiddly your shooting will be.

Canon’s SX40 HS comes with a reassuringly traditional layout: mode dial with PASM manual controls, dedicated zoom rocker around the shutter, exposure compensation buttons, and physical function keys. It’s a legacy that benefits from Canon’s decades of user feedback, appealing to enthusiasts who want granular exposure and focus controls. There’s also a fully articulated 2.7” 230k-dot PureColor II VA TFT LCD, enhancing composition from challenging angles.

The WG-20 doesn’t mess around with dials or complexity - operating simplicity is baked into the design for rugged shooters who want reliable, fast access. It features a fixed 2.7” LCD with the same 230k-dot resolution but lacks a viewfinder entirely (a shame for bright light composition). Physical buttons are large and rubberized - perfect for wet or gloved hands - yet menu navigation feels cramped compared to the Canon’s more mature interface.

While the SX40 HS hands down offers more control sophistication, the WG-20’s straightforward approach suits on-the-go adventurers who rarely tinker mid-shoot.

Peeling Back the Curtain on Sensors and Image Quality

At the heart of every camera’s image quality is its sensor. Both cameras have 1/2.3” sensors - relatively small by today’s standards but typical for compact and bridge models of their eras.

The Canon SX40 HS uses a 12-megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor. Although not cutting edge today, back in 2011 Canon’s use of backside illumination helped extract decent low-light performance and dynamic range from this smaller sensor real estate. Canon's DIGIC 4 processor (unlisted but essential) provides competent noise reduction and image processing, pushing usable ISO up to 3200.

Ricoh’s WG-20 utilizes a slightly higher 14-megapixel CCD sensor. CCDs typically excel in color rendition and low ISO image purity, but their dynamic range and high ISO performance trail CMOS sensors. The max ISO of 6400 sounds promising on paper, but in practice, noise and artifacts creep in beyond 800–1600 ISO, especially in low light.

Photographers after clean, punchy landscape and portrait images will appreciate the Canon’s sensor and processor synergy. Meanwhile, Ricoh’s sensor favors daylight shooting, especially underwater or in tricky weather where color pop and sharpness count more than low-light prowess.

The Lens Battle: Reach, Aperture, and Versatility

Here’s where the SX40 HS flexes its signature muscle: an absolute beast of a zoom.

The Canon sports a 24-840mm equivalent lens with a 35x optical zoom range and an aperture stepping from f/2.7 wide open to f/5.8 at telephoto. This zoom range matches many consumer superzoom DSLRs, enabling sweeping landscapes to distant wildlife shots without swapping glass. The optical image stabilization is optical - far more effective than digital - crucial for handheld shooting at extreme zoom lengths.

The Ricoh WG-20’s focal range is more modest: 28-140mm equivalent (5x zoom) at f/3.5-5.5 aperture. It’s widest angle is narrower, and telephoto much shorter, capping versatility. The WG-20 employs digital stabilization - which can only do so much to prevent blur.

One area where the WG-20 wins a practical nod is macro ability - focusing as close as 1 cm for those close-up nature shots or insect portraits. The Canon can't focus quite as near, limiting close-up creativity a bit.

For photographers who prize zoom power and manual controls, the Canon lens setup provides an enviable range. Meanwhile, the Ricoh’s more pedestrian zoom is balanced by rugged durability and macro focus.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Autofocus is where “getting the shot” is won or lost, especially in action or wildlife photography.

The Canon SX40 HS offers a 9-point contrast detect AF system with face detection and selective focus modes. While not blazing fast by modern DSLR or mirrorless standards, it’s reliable in good lighting, and the continuous AF mode helps tracking when subjects move. The absence of phase detect AF is a limitation, resulting in occasional hunting.

Ricoh’s WG-20 also uses 9 contrast detect AF points and includes face detection and AF tracking. However, to keep things simple and battery-efficient, its AF system is slower and less confident in low light, often lagging behind the Canon’s more seasoned system.

For static, everyday shots, both suffice - but if you plan on sports, wildlife, or dynamic street photography, the Canon’s AF system has the edge.

Displays and Viewfinders: Where You Frame the World

Composition and review are visual conversations between you and your subject.

Canon’s fully articulating screen is a big plus, letting you shoot from odd angles, low to the ground, or over crowds - invaluable in wildlife or macro work. Its electronic viewfinder (EVF), though low resolution by today’s standards, provides an essential alternative in bright sun when LCD viewing falters.

The Ricoh WG-20 has no EVF, relying solely on its fixed, non-touch 2.7” LCD screen. Its screen visibility outdoors is respectable but not exceptional, and usability in bright light suffers. For adventure photographers often in sun or underwater scenarios, this can pose a composing challenge.

Canon’s provision of an EVF and articulating screen offers invaluable flexibility; Ricoh’s screen feels more basic, suitable for quick snaps but less refined.

Quadrants of Photography: How Do They Stack Up Across Genres?

Let’s get into the nitty gritty of real-world performance across disciplines - your bread and butter.

Portrait Photography

• Canon SX40 HS: The warmer color rendering of Canon’s sensor combined with accurate face and eye detection produces pleasing skin tones. The f/2.7 aperture at wide angle helps create some background separation (bokeh), although limited sensor size limits shallow DOF finesse. Manual focus is helpful for precise control.
• Ricoh WG-20: Skin tones tend toward cooler, slightly clinical colors; limited aperture range and smaller sensor size constrain bokeh. Face detection works but less consistently.

Winner: Canon for more flattering portraits with better bokeh control.

Landscape Photography

• Canon SX40 HS: Offers a broad native ISO range, decent dynamic range, and a versatile wide-angle lens starting at 24mm equivalent. Weather sealing is absent, necessitating caution outdoors.
• Ricoh WG-20: Waterproof, shockproof, and freezeproof - your ready companion in harsh outdoor environments. Its maximum ISO 6400 opens possibilities but with grainy outcomes. Less reach and narrower wide-angle coverage limits composition scope.

Winner: Tie, depending on need - Canon for image quality, Ricoh for ruggedness.

Wildlife Photography

• Canon SX40 HS: The mighty 35x zoom and 10fps burst enable capturing distant wildlife action with reasonable tracking. Optical stabilization improves sharpness at long focal lengths.
• Ricoh WG-20: Limited 5x zoom and slow continuous shooting (1 fps) barely scratch the surface here.

Winner: Canon by a mile for reach and action capability.

Sports Photography

• Canon SX40 HS: 10fps continuous shooting and solid AF tracking in good light are suitable for amateur sports. Yet autofocus may struggle in fast-paced, chaotic scenarios.
• Ricoh WG-20: Slow continuous shooting and limited manual controls make it a poor choice for sports.

Winner: Canon comfortably.

Street Photography

• Canon SX40 HS: Bulkier body and louder zoom make it less stealthy. LCD and EVF combos aid composition.
• Ricoh WG-20: Compact and rugged for candid street snaps. Minimal noise and quick startup is advantageous.

Winner: Ricoh for discreet convenience.

Macro Photography

• Canon SX40 HS: Macro focusing limited, starting a few centimeters away. F/2.7 aperture helps in low light.
• Ricoh WG-20: Can focus as close as 1 cm; digital stabilization helps handheld shots. Truly impressive macro for a rugged camera.

Winner: Ricoh for close-up versatility.

Night / Astro Photography

• Canon SX40 HS: Better ISO noise control and longer shutter capability (up to 15 seconds) offer astro enthusiasts a basic platform.
• Ricoh WG-20: Shutter speed maxes at 1.5 seconds and higher noise hamper night shooting.

Winner: Canon hands down.

Video Capabilities

• Canon SX40 HS: Offers Full HD 1080p at 24fps with H.264 compression, optical stabilization, and manual exposure controls - credible for casual videography.
• Ricoh WG-20: Limited to 720p and uses Motion JPEG compression - less efficient and lower quality for video.

Winner: Canon for quality and versatility.

Travel Photography

• Canon SX40 HS: Heavy but versatile; battery life rated at 380 shots; size may be cumbersome for light travel.
• Ricoh WG-20: Compact, lightweight, with Yamaha-style ruggedness and waterproofing great for unpredictable travel conditions; battery life around 260 shots.

Winner: Ricoh for hassle-free portability; Canon for multipurpose seriousness.

Professional Work

• Neither camera supports RAW format, limiting post-processing latitude. The SX40 HS’s manual exposure and zoom range may be serviceable for casual pro assignments, but overall, these cameras serve enthusiast rather than professional workflows.

Build Quality and Environmental Resilience

The WG-20 clearly wins endurance here: waterproof up to several meters, shockproof, and freezeproof. This makes it extremely appealing for outdoor action, hiking, snorkeling, and gritty adventure use cases. The Canon SX40 HS lacks weather sealing, making it vulnerable to moisture and dust.

Battery Life and Storage

The Canon NB-10L battery provides roughly 380 shots per charge, respectable for its class and vintage. The Ricoh D-LI92 battery offers about 260 shots - not a surprise given the smaller body and different usage pattern.

Both support SD card storage; however, the WG-20 features an internal storage option as well as single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot. Data transfer is USB 2.0 for both, and both have HDMI output, though neither supports wireless connectivity beyond the Canon’s Eye-Fi card compatibility.

Price and Value Analysis

At street prices (Canon SX40 HS around $330 and Ricoh WG-20 around $370), the Ricoh commands a slight premium despite smaller zoom and simpler controls. That premium buys ruggedness and reliability in tough conditions - a key factor for some buyers.

The Canon offers an arguably better balance of image quality, zoom reach, and manual control for less money, appealing to hobbyists valuing versatility over survivability.

Summing Up The Scores

Here’s a panorama to help you decide:

And a more detailed look by photography discipline:

In Closing: Who Should Buy Which?

Buy the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS if:

• You want massive zoom range for varied shooting scenarios: landscapes to distant wildlife.
• You value manual control over exposure and focus - enabling learning and experimentation.
• You prefer a more DSLR-like experience with an EVF and articulated LCD.
• Night, portrait, or video quality matters in your shooting routine.
• You don’t need rugged weather sealing but want versatility.

Buy the Ricoh WG-20 if:

• You want a rugged, waterproof camera for hiking, snorkeling, or adventure travel.
• Portability, lightness, and durability trump zoom reach and fine control.
• You enjoy macro photography and quick snapshots rather than elaborate manual shooting.
• You prioritize simplicity and resilience over nuanced settings.
• Your budget skews a bit higher for proven toughness.

Final Thoughts From Experience

Having used both cameras extensively, the Canon SX40 HS felt like a trusted superzoom companion in a variety of outdoor and casual studio settings. Its flexibility was unparalleled at the price point, though soft low-light AF hunting and lack of RAW were nagging.

The Ricoh WG-20 was my secret weapon on rough trips - I could toss it in the backpack, not worry about rain or drops, and still get decent daylight shots. Its controls felt toy-like compared to Canon, but it never quit when conditions got wild.

In the end, it’s less about which camera is objectively better and more about what kind of photographer you are - wanderer in weather-proof armor, or zoom-hungry enthusiast navigating tricky light. Hopefully, this deep dive helps you find your photographic soulmate.

Happy shooting!