Panasonic FS12 vs Ricoh WG-30W

Below, we will be reviewing the Panasonic FS12 versus Ricoh WG-30W, former being a Ultracompact while the latter is a Waterproof by rivals Panasonic and Ricoh. There exists a sizable gap between the sensor resolutions of the FS12 (12MP) and WG-30W (16MP) but they come with the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The FS12 was manufactured 6 years before the WG-30W and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FS12 being a Ultracompact camera and the Ricoh WG-30W being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a short view of how the FS12 grades versus the WG-30W with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12 & Ricoh WG-30W. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FS12 Gallery & Ricoh WG-30W Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic FS12 has physical measurements of 97mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 129 grams (0.28 lbs) whilst the Ricoh WG-30W has specifications of 123mm x 62mm x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") with a weight of 194 grams (0.43 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FS12 versus Ricoh WG-30W in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the FS12 compared to the WG-30W.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FS12 and WG-30W is 95 and 91 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements merely by checking technical specs. The visual here might give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the FS12 and WG-30W.

As you have seen, both of those cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same megapixels. You can expect the Ricoh WG-30W to give you extra detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The older FS12 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.