Ricoh CX5 vs Samsung PL170

Its time to look more closely at the Ricoh CX5 and Samsung PL170, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Ricoh and Samsung. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the CX5 (10MP) and PL170 (16MP) but they come with the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The CX5 was unveiled 7 months later than the PL170 and they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Ricoh CX5 being a Compact camera and the Samsung PL170 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going straight into a complete comparison, below is a concise overview of how the CX5 grades against the PL170 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Ricoh CX5 & Samsung PL170. The full galleries are available at Ricoh CX5 Gallery & Samsung PL170 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Ricoh CX5 provides outer dimensions 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 Samsung PL170 has dimensions of 95mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs).

Check the Ricoh CX5 and Samsung PL170 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the CX5 compared to the PL170.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the CX5 and PL170 is 92 and 99 respectively.

In many cases, it can be difficult to visualize the difference in sensor measurements simply by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the CX5 and PL170.

As you can see, each of these cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different megapixels. You can anticipate the Samsung PL170 to render greater detail having an extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics far more aggressively. The younger CX5 should have a benefit in sensor technology.