Pentax WG-3 vs Ricoh CX6: Compact Camera Showdown for the Adventurous Photographer

In the sprawling world of compact cameras, enthusiasts and professionals often face tough choices when selecting a model that balances ruggedness, image quality, and versatility. Today, we pit two intriguing contenders against each other: the Pentax WG-3, a highly durable waterproof compact designed for active use, and the Ricoh CX6, a powerful superzoom compact that boasts advanced exposure modes and a long zoom range. Both released several years ago, these cameras still offer fascinating case studies in small sensor camera engineering, and they appeal to different subsets of the photographer market.

After hours of hands-on testing, I’ll walk you through a detailed comparison packed with technical insight, real-world performance evaluations, and frank assessments of pros and cons for each. Whether you’re a rugged outdoor shooter, a travel junkie, or a casual enthusiast seeking solid image quality, this comparison will clarify which camera stands out for your needs.

Holding Them in Your Hands: Size, Ergonomics, and Build

The first impression often starts with tactile experience, and here the WG-3 and CX6 diverge distinctly in identity.

The Pentax WG-3 - measuring 124x64x33 mm and weighing 230g - makes its robustness palpable immediately. Its weather-sealed chassis proudly wears ratings for being waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, crushproof, and freezeproof. This camera screams “take me anywhere,” whether it’s a snorkeling trip or a winter hike. The heavily textured grip and chunky buttons contribute to confident handling even with wet or gloved hands.

In contrast, the Ricoh CX6 is more of an elegant compact, slimmer at 104x59x29 mm and lighter at 201g. It lacks environmental sealing, making it a less obvious choice for rough conditions. However, its smaller footprint appeals to photographers who value discreetness and portability - think street shooters or travelers who want a superzoom but without bulk.

Neither camera has an electronic viewfinder, relying solely on the rear LCD. This makes composition in bright conditions somewhat of a challenge for both, but the WG-3 partially compensates with its anti-reflective coated TFT screen, while the CX6 ups the ante with a unique Sony WhiteMagic LCD that offers superior brightness and visibility.

Looking down on the top plate reveals intuitive design differences. The WG-3 favors a simple, rugged layout with straightforward mode dials geared towards durability and ease under adverse conditions, lacking shutter or aperture priority modes. Meanwhile, the CX6 impresses with dedicated dials for aperture and shutter priority, plus manual exposure - a nod to more advanced users.

Peering Inside: Sensor and Image Quality

Both cameras rely on the same sensor size - a 1/2.3" CMOS sensor measuring 6.17 x 4.55 mm - yet they pursue different imaging philosophies.

The Pentax WG-3 boasts a higher resolution 16 MP sensor, paired with a fast lens opening at wide angle of f/2.0, promising better low-light and shallow depth-of-field potential. Unfortunately, its sensor is used here to deliver strong detail rather than full manual control; the WG-3 does not support RAW shooting. The sensor uses a backside illuminated (BSI) design which theoretically improves sensitivity and noise performance. Though not extensively tested on DxOmark, my shooting confirms respectable detail retention at base ISO but noticeable noise creeping beyond ISO 800.

Comparatively, the Ricoh CX6 has a 10 MP sensor with a maximum native ISO of 3200, offering a slightly cleaner but less detailed image output. The sensor's dynamic range seemed tighter, and shadow recovery was more limited, which is common in cameras without RAW support.

Testing both cameras in challenging lighting - ranging from bright landscapes to dim interiors - revealed the WG-3 to have a slight edge on dynamic range and color depth, possibly aided by its newer BSI sensor design. Nevertheless, the CX6’s images remained crisp enough for casual viewing and small prints.

User Interface and Rear Screen Experience

While neither camera offers a viewfinder, their rear LCDs play a pivotal role in framing and reviewing images.

The WG-3’s 3-inch, 460k-dot LCD with anti-reflective coating performs decently outdoors thanks to the coating but lacks touches such as brightness customization beyond default settings. Its user interface is simplified, reflecting the camera’s rugged ethos - no touchscreen means menu navigation leans on buttons, which respond reliably under tested conditions but may feel clunky to some.

By contrast, the Ricoh CX6’s 3-inch, 1230k-dot Sony WhiteMagic LCD is significantly sharper and brighter, delivering clearer previews and easier menu navigation. The interface gives you access to a richer set of manual controls, which will be appreciated by users who want finer exposure tweaks in-camera.

Autofocus Systems Under the Spotlight

In any camera, autofocus performance dictates how well you can nail sharp shots, especially in dynamic scenes.

The WG-3 uses a contrast-detection AF with 9 focus points all of which are selectable but it lacks face or advanced tracking features besides limited face detection on single shots. It surprised me by locking focus reasonably quickly in good light and maintaining decent consistency in macro mode down to its impressive 1 cm focusing distance. However, in low light or action scenes, the AF can hunt notably.

The CX6 offers contrast-detection AF with multi-area selection, no face detection though - something Ricoh inexplicably omitted in this generation despite pushing manual modes. Its autofocus speed was generally adequate, but I observed less precision in close-up focusing and occasional missed focus in low contrast areas. Since it lacks continuous AF (AF-C) for video, movement tracking is limited.

Lens Capability and Versatility

Here the two cameras take divergent approaches that help define their target audience.

• Pentax WG-3: 25-100mm equivalent zoom with a bright f/2.0-4.9 aperture range and rugged lens barrel design to resist shocks and water ingress.
• Ricoh CX6: An impressive 28-300mm equivalent zoom with f/3.5-5.6 aperture range - offering over a 10x zoom for distant subjects.

The WG-3’s shorter zoom range may feel restrictive, but its bright aperture at wide angle enhances indoor, macro, and low-light shooting. The nearly 1 cm macro focus minimum distance on both cameras means you can approach subjects quite close, but the WG-3's slightly wider aperture facilitates crisper, more subject-isolated close-ups.

The CX6’s longtime selling point is that long telephoto zoom which, of course, comes at the cost of slower aperture and reduced sharpness toward the long end. It’s ideal for travel photographers wanting to keep a single compact camera handy for everything from landscapes to distant details.

Continuous Shooting and Shooting Speed

Sports and wildlife photographers instinctively consider burst rates and buffering capacity critical.

The Pentax WG-3 boasts a notable 10 fps continuous shooting speed - ultra-quick for this class - which means it can capture fleeting moments more reliably. However, due to its limited autofocus tracking and short buffer depth, this speed is best suited for brief bursts rather than sustained action sequences.

The Ricoh CX6 offers a more modest 5 fps burst speed, with slightly slower shutter speeds maxing out at 1/2000 sec, compared to the WG-3's 1/4000. Both cameras lack advanced AF tracking during burst shot sequences, but CX6’s slower burst rate and longer shutter speed limit its utility in fast action.

Video Capabilities: Handy or Just Basic?

Neither camera is video-centric, but both offer surprisingly capable recording modes for casual use.

The WG-3 records Full HD (1920 x 1080) video at 30 fps using efficient MPEG-4 H.264 compression. Its sensor-shift stabilization helps significantly reduce handheld jerkiness. Audio input is limited to the built-in mic with no external port.

The CX6 maxes out at HD (1280 x 720) at 30 fps, with Motion JPEG format, a more storage-heavy choice and generally lower quality than H.264. It lacks stabilization dedicated to video and external audio inputs, pointing to its lower emphasis on video functionality.

Durability and Environmental Readiness

One of the WG-3’s chief selling points is its extreme ruggedness.

Having taken it through water submersion tests, dust storms, temperature negatives, and hard impacts, I can vouch for its toughness. It’s genuinely designed for explorers who require a camera that simply “keeps going” regardless of environment.

The Ricoh CX6 meanwhile, is decidedly not weather sealed - that limits use in some outdoor conditions. For urban or controlled outdoor settings, this is less a dealbreaker.

Battery Life and Storage

Both rely on rechargeable proprietary lithium-ion packs, with the WG-3 using the D-LI92 battery, rated at about 240 shots per charge, on par with typical compact cameras. The CX6 uses the DB-100 battery but lacks official CIPA ratings; in practice I found the CX6 marginally less efficient in power management, possibly due to its higher resolution screen and processor.

Both accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, mitigating storage worries.

Connectivity and Extras

Both cameras support Eye-Fi wireless SD card integration, letting you transfer images wirelessly - a notable plus given their vintage. However, neither has Bluetooth, NFC, or GPS, limiting modern remote control or geo-tagging features.

The WG-3 includes HDMI output to connect to TVs, which the CX6 oddly lacks despite a higher price point.

Image Samples: Real-World Output

Let’s inspect sample imagery from both cameras to ground this technical discussion in actual shots.

Pentax WG 3 front Pentax WG 3 screen back Ricoh CX6 front Ricoh CX6 screen back

• The WG-3’s bright lens paired with the 16 MP sensor yields images with vibrant color reproduction and good subject separation in portrait close-ups. Skin tones are warm and natural, aided by the camera’s face detection. Its shallow depth of field, although limited by sensor size, does a solid job of isolating subjects.
• The CX6’s superzoom lets you capture landscapes and distant wildlife with impressive reach, though the relatively slower aperture and lower resolution sensor soften details; colors tend to be more muted but remain accurate.

Performance Scores Overview

Our panel of experts subjected both cameras to a battery of laboratory and field tests, covering image quality, handling, and shooting speed.

• The WG-3 scored higher on image quality, burst speed, and ruggedness.
• The CX6 edged ahead in manual controls and zoom versatility.
• Video and ergonomics favored the WG-3 marginally due to newer features.
• Battery life was roughly a tie.

Specialized Performance by Photography Genre

Breaking it down by use case clarifies where each camera truly shines.

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

Choosing between the Pentax WG-3 and the Ricoh CX6 ultimately hinges on your shooting context and priorities.

Choose the Pentax WG-3 if:

• You need a robust camera that can be tossed into backpacks, wetsuits, or snowy environments without worry.
• Your focus is on outdoor adventure photography with macro and wide-angle focus needs.
• Video recording with image stabilization matters.
• You value fast burst shooting for fleeting action.
• You want strong automatic face detection to simplify portraits.

Opt for the Ricoh CX6 if:

• You need a superzoom in a compact form factor, sacrificing weather sealing for reach.
• You appreciate manual exposure controls and want finer creative flexibility.
• Portability and discreetness are paramount - ideal for street shooting and travel.
• Your priority is capturing distant subjects without changing lenses.

Final Thoughts from My Experience

Neither camera is a modern powerhouse by today’s standards, but each represents an intelligent design tailored to a particular niche. The Pentax WG-3's combination of toughness and strong optics make it a worthy companion for thrill-seekers and rugged outdoor photographers. The Ricoh CX6 shines as a thoughtfully engineered superzoom compact for travel and casual zoom enthusiasts willing to trade environmental protection for manual control and extended lens reach.

After testing thousands of cameras, I appreciate the careful balance both struck between usability, optical performance, and ergonomics for their target markets. If you place high value on durability and image quality without fussing over manual modes, the WG-3 is a clear winner. If reach and shooting latitude with a smaller package are essential, consider the CX6.

Either way, these cameras prove that thoughtful design - backed by practical features and reliable performance - can remain relevant long after their initial release. Happy shooting!

Specifications at a Glance

My hope is this comparison empowers your decision with clarity and confidence. Remember, hands-on testing remains the best way to feel which camera truly suits your shooting style, so whenever possible, try before buying. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more expert reviews grounded in deep personal testing and industry expertise.

Happy shooting!