Ricoh CX4 vs Sony RX1

Here, we will be analyzing the Ricoh CX4 and Sony RX1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Ricoh and Sony. There exists a big gap among the sensor resolutions of the CX4 (10MP) and RX1 (24MP) and the CX4 (1/2.3") and RX1 (Full frame) provide different sensor sizes.

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The CX4 was released 3 years earlier than the RX1 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Ricoh CX4 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX1 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the CX4 scores against the RX1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Ricoh CX4 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1. The complete galleries are provided at Ricoh CX4 Gallery and Sony RX1 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Ricoh CX4 enjoys outer measurements of 102mm x 59mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 205 grams (0.45 lbs) and the Sony RX1 has dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") and a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

Take a look at the Ricoh CX4 and Sony RX1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at the time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the CX4 against the RX1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the CX4 and RX1 is 92 and 79 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to picture the gap in sensor measurements purely by looking through specs. The visual below will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the CX4 and RX1.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The CX4 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field trickier and the Sony RX1 will render greater detail as a result of its extra 14 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The older CX4 will be behind in sensor technology.