Nikon S640 vs Ricoh CX5

Lets take a more detailed look at the Nikon S640 and Ricoh CX5, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Nikon and Ricoh. The image resolution of the S640 (12MP) and the CX5 (10MP) is very well matched and both cameras boast the identical sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The S640 was released 23 months before the CX5 making them a generation apart from one another. Both cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the S640 matches up against the CX5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon Coolpix S640 and Ricoh CX5. The complete galleries are viewable at Nikon S640 Gallery and Ricoh CX5 Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera often, you will have to factor its weight and measurements. The Nikon S640 has outer dimensions of 91mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.6" x 2.2" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 130 grams (0.29 lbs) whilst the Ricoh CX5 has proportions of 102mm x 59mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 205 grams (0.45 lbs).

Look at the Nikon S640 and Ricoh CX5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at the time. The following is a front view size comparison of the S640 compared to the CX5.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the S640 and CX5 is 96 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to imagine the difference between sensor measurements simply by reading through a spec sheet. The photograph below may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the S640 and CX5.

As you can see, both of those cameras feature the identical sensor size but different resolution. You should expect to see the Nikon S640 to resolve extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics way more aggressively. The older S640 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.