Olympus SP-100 vs Ricoh CX2

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus SP-100 and Ricoh CX2, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by rivals Olympus and Ricoh. There is a huge difference between the image resolutions of the SP-100 (16MP) and CX2 (9MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The SP-100 was announced 4 years after the CX2 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Ricoh CX2 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the SP-100 matches up against the CX2 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus SP-100 and Ricoh CX2. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-100 Gallery and Ricoh CX2 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus SP-100 provides physical dimensions of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") with a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs) while the Ricoh CX2 has proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 185 grams (0.41 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SP-100 and Ricoh CX2 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are using at the time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the SP-100 against the CX2.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-100 and CX2 is 63 and 93 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to visualize the difference between sensor dimensions simply by reading a spec sheet. The pic here should offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the SP-100 and CX2.

As you can see, the 2 cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit different resolution. You should count on the Olympus SP-100 to offer you greater detail with its extra 7 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The newer SP-100 should have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.