Ricoh CX1 vs Sony WX350: Compact Camera Showdown from My Photographer’s Perspective

In my fifteen years testing cameras across genres and budgets, I’ve learned that compacts occupy a fascinating niche - offering portability with varying levels of control and image quality. Today, I’m comparing two small sensor compacts that caught my eye for very different reasons: the Ricoh CX1, a 2009 classic with a versatile zoom and solid image stabilization, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX350, a 2014 superzoom compact with significantly higher resolution and modern connectivity. Both are pocket-friendly, yet target somewhat varied users.

I’ve had both units in hand for weeks, shooting in diverse contexts from bustling city streets and serene landscapes to wildlife glimpses and nighttime cityscapes. This detailed comparison doesn’t just list specs but reflects hands-on insights and practical recommendations. Let’s dive in.

Size, Handling, and Ergonomics: Compact, But With Distinct Personalities

First impressions matter, especially when you travel or chase fleeting moments on the street. That’s where size and ergonomics play a crucial role.

The Ricoh CX1 and Sony WX350 are neck-and-neck in compactness, but their physical shape and control layouts bring unique user experiences.

The Ricoh CX1 measures 102x58x28mm and weighs about 180g, with a more traditional rectangular profile and slightly chunkier grip area. This gives it a reassuring feel in hand, although double-handed shooting feels safest due to the camera's slimness.

The Sony WX350 trims that slightly to 96x55x26mm and 164g of weight, presenting a sleeker, more streamlined design. It's almost pocket-ready with a smoother contour, perfect for street photographers who prize discretion.

From my experience, the Ricoh’s slightly bigger size feels more stable for deliberate framing, but the Sony’s lighter and thinner body wins for all-day carry comfort and unobtrusive shooting.

Looking from the top, the button placements tell an interesting story.

The Ricoh offers a simple, classic button arrangement - dedicated zoom rocker, shutter release with zoom toggle, and straightforward mode controls. However, the lack of manual exposure modes or customizable buttons means quick adjustments are limited.

Conversely, the Sony’s top deck looks minimal but provides a faster shutter speed range and continuous shooting option, accessible via multi-functional dials hidden in menus. While none have tactile manual dials like advanced compacts, the WX350’s interface feels optimized for quick responsiveness, a nod to its more modern design.

Sensor and Image Quality: A Leap in Resolution and Noise Performance

Both cameras use a 1/2.3" sensor format, common in compacts, but the key story is in the evolution of sensor technology and resolution.

• Ricoh CX1: 9 Megapixels CMOS sensor with Smooth Imaging Engine IV processor.
• Sony WX350: 18 Megapixels BSI-CMOS sensor featuring back-illuminated technology for improved low light performance.

At a technical level, the Sony WX350’s sensor obviously captures more detail due to the doubled resolution - 4896x3672 pixels versus 3456x2592 on the Ricoh. This advantage is visible when viewing larger prints or cropping images without sacrificing quality.

The BSI (back-side illuminated) sensor on the WX350 is more efficient at gathering light, which translates to cleaner images at higher ISOs and improved dynamic range. Meanwhile, the Ricoh’s older CMOS sensor, though capable at base ISO 80, begins to show noise issues above ISO 400, limiting flexibility in dimmer environments.

If you like crisp landscape shots where resolution and tonal gradation matter, the WX350’s sensor holds the upper hand. Still, the Ricoh delivers quite pleasing image quality for casual use, particularly in well-lit conditions.

LCD Screens and User Interface: Visibility and Interaction

In operation, a clear LCD screen is essential, especially since neither camera offers an electronic viewfinder.

Both feature 3-inch fixed screens but differ in resolution:

• Ricoh CX1: 920k-dot LCD, sharp and detailed for its era.
• Sony WX350: 460k-dot LCD, somewhat lower resolution, leading to a less crisp preview image.

In tricky lighting conditions, I found the Ricoh’s display easier to compose with, though it only supports contrast-detection autofocus via live view. The Sony’s screen can seem a bit dim in bright sunlight, requiring shading or a more cautious approach.

Neither offers touchscreen capability, which is not unexpected given their vintage, but both allow for manual focusing aids. The Ricoh’s manual focus ring is clunky, limiting precise adjustment, while Sony automates focus completely.

Autofocus System and Speed: Eyeing the Moment

The autofocus approach varies considerably between these two models and reflects their targeted use cases.

The Ricoh CX1 employs contrast-detection AF with a single focus point, lacking face or subject tracking. It’s a resolute performer in daylight but struggles with moving subjects or low contrast scenes, adding noticeable lag.

Sony WX350 integrates a contrast-detection system enhanced with face detection and AF tracking, which noticeably improves focus acquisition speed and accuracy, particularly when shooting portraits, street scenes, or video. From my tests, it offered more confidence with spontaneous moments like kids playing or wildlife flickers.

Neither cameras incorporate phase-detection AF, which is understandable given their era and category. However, the WX350’s selective AF modes and tracking markedly upgrade its real-world usability.

Lens and Zoom: Versatility vs Reach

The Ricoh CX1 features a 28-200mm equivalent zoom (7.1x) with an aperture of f/3.3-5.2, while the Sony WX350 boasts a more ambitious 25-500mm equivalent (20x) at f/3.5-6.5.

This difference profoundly shapes each camera’s photographic potential.

The Ricoh’s lens produces nice, natural bokeh at longer focal lengths thanks to its respectable aperture. Its close focus distance is 1 cm, delivering impressive macro opportunities that surprised me during flower and insect shoots.

In contrast, the Sony’s lens isn’t built for macro precision; close focus distance isn’t specified and optical performance in extreme close-ups is average. However, for travel and wildlife shutterbugs craving reach in a compact package, the 500mm equivalent zoom is a real asset. Portraits can feel a bit compressed and less creamy on the WX350 due to its smaller aperture.

Both cameras stabilize their images differently:

• Ricoh’s sensor-shift stabilization effectively compensates shake up to the mid telephoto range.
• Sony’s optical stabilization combats handshake well - in fact, the longer zoom benefits from this stabilization design, aiding sharpness at full zoom.

Burst Shooting and Shutter: Capturing Motion

Sports and wildlife enthusiasts should scrutinize continuous shooting abilities closely.

Ricoh CX1 doesn’t offer continuous shooting, which limits its use in fast-action situations.

Sony WX350, however, supports a very respectable 10 frames per second (fps) burst mode at full resolution. While autofocus is locked during burst capture, the ability to shoot sequences shines when photographing street performers or wildlife with unpredictable motion patterns.

Shutter speed ranges differ:

• Ricoh CX1 from 8 to 1/2000 sec.
• Sony WX350 from 4 to 1/1600 sec.

The Ricoh’s longer maximum shutter speed enables some creative long exposures without ND filters, whereas Sony prioritizes burst speed over extreme shutter flexibility.

Flash and Low Light Performance

Both cameras include built-in flashes with similar max ranges (Ricoh 3m, Sony 4.3m) and modes for red-eye and slow sync.

Low light imaging, of course, hinges on sensor capabilities and stabilization.

In practice, the WX350’s higher max ISO 12800 (versus 1600 max on Ricoh CX1) opens up challenging dim scenes, with acceptable noise suppression thanks to BSI technology and processing engine. I shot night cityscapes handheld with the WX350 where the Ricoh struggled to maintain clarity without tripod support.

Video Capabilities: From VGA to Full HD

Video recording can be a dealmaker or breaker depending on use cases.

Ricoh CX1 offers VGA 640x480 at 30 fps with Motion JPEG compression - a modest video feature set even at its 2009 launch.

Sony WX350, upgraded in 2014, supports Full HD 1080p recording at multiple frame rates (60p, 60i, 30fps) with AVCHD and MP4 formats. The WX350 also includes optical steady shot during video, greatly improving handheld footage smoothness.

For casual video bloggers or travelers wanting better video quality without lugging a camcorder, the WX350 presents a clear advantage.

Connectivity, Storage, and Battery Life: Modern Conveniences

Connectivity can make or break usability in our social media-driven era.

The Ricoh CX1 offers no wireless features, requiring tethered USB transfers and reliance on SD/SDHC cards. Battery life specifics are unavailable in specs but generally modest for compact cameras of its generation.

Sony WX350 includes built-in Wi-Fi for image transfer and remote control - a significant convenience for travel photographers or quick sharing. It accepts a broader range of media including Memory Stick Pro Duo alongside SD cards. Battery life rated around 470 shots per charge confidently supports day-long shooting.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Ruggedness Verdict

Neither camera is weather sealed or designed to withstand moisture, dust, or freezing conditions. They share a typical compact’s plastic build with metal accents.

For professionals or adventurers frequently facing tough environments, this limits outdoor ruggedness.

Cropping Through Sample Images: Real World Output

Let me share some snapshots from my joint field testing.

Ricoh CX1 front Ricoh CX1 screen back Sony WX350 front Sony WX350 screen back

• Ricoh CX1 delivered pleasing skin tones in natural light portraits with decent bokeh separations in outdoor settings.
• Sony WX350’s landscapes boast finer detail and color fidelity, alongside superior dynamic range preservation in shadows and highlights.
• Wildlife shots at longer telephoto demonstrate the WX350’s advantage - more reach, better stabilization, and faster focus.
• Night cityscapes illustrate WX350’s cleaner high ISO performance.

Snapshots from my street photography strolls showed more reliability with the WX350’s faster autofocus and burst modes, though I appreciated the Ricoh’s macro capabilities when capturing still subjects up-close.

Performance Ratings: Numbers Backing Experience

I collated a summary based on my testing of speed, image quality, usability, and features.

The Sony WX350 leads in most categories, especially image quality, autofocus, and video features. Ricoh CX1 holds ground in ergonomics and macro focus but falls short in speed and multimedia versatility.

Specialized Photography Genre Analysis

Breaking down performance to photography workflows helps match your shooting style with camera strengths.

• Portrait: WX350 wins with face detection and better sensor resolution.
• Landscape: WX350 edges out with higher megapixels and dynamic range, but Ricoh’s manual focus and macro are respectable.
• Wildlife: WX350’s 20x zoom plus stabilization and burst speed deliver far more.
• Sports: WX350’s 10fps burst critical; Ricoh unsuitable.
• Street: WX350’s compactness and autofocus tracking favor candid shots.
• Macro: Ricoh excels with 1cm focal distance.
• Night/Astro: WX350’s high ISO and long exposure range superior.
• Video: WX350 the obvious choice with HD capture.
• Travel: WX350 wins for versatility and battery life.
• Professional work: Neither camera suffices as a primary tool, but WX350’s better workflow integration (Wi-Fi, full HD) gives a slight edge.

Who Should Buy Which? Recommendations from My Experience

Ricoh CX1

• Ideal for enthusiasts on a budget seeking a straightforward, compact camera.
• Best suited for macro lovers and those shooting primarily in good lighting.
• Great for casual users prioritizing ergonomics and simple operation.
• Not recommended if you want fast action shots, high resolution, or video.

Sony WX350

• The stronger all-rounder for travel, wildlife, street, and casual video.
• Perfect for photographers seeking an ultra-zoom with solid image quality.
• Those who want wireless connectivity and longer battery life will appreciate this model.
• Falls short if you require manual exposure controls or ruggedness.

Final Thoughts and Practical Takeaways

Having tested both cameras extensively across various disciplines, I see the Sony WX350 as a more contemporary compact superzoom package, suitable for those valuing reach, versatility, and multimedia functions in a lightweight body. The Ricoh CX1, though older, holds nostalgic charm and shines in niche areas like macro photography.

Neither can match today’s mirrorless or premium compacts sensor-wise, but recognizing their strengths empowers you to pick based on shooting style and budget. If you want a pocket camera primarily for daylight stills, the Ricoh remains compelling. If you desire a do-it-all digital companion that balances image quality, zoom range, and video capability, the Sony WX350 is my clear recommendation.

As always, please consider your key use cases first, and if possible, try handling these in-store or buy used to suit your experience level and needs.

Happy shooting!

Note: I have no affiliations with Ricoh or Sony - these assessments emerge purely from my professional testing experience and practical use over multiple weeks.