Ricoh CX5 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill

On this page, we will be matching up the Ricoh CX5 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Ricoh and Sigma. There exists a significant gap between the resolutions of the CX5 (10MP) and DP1 Merrill (15MP) and the CX5 (1/2.3") and DP1 Merrill (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The CX5 was announced 6 months before the DP1 Merrill which means that they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras have different body design with the Ricoh CX5 being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP1 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the CX5 matches up vs the DP1 Merrill for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Ricoh CX5 and Sigma DP1 Merrill. The whole galleries are viewable at Ricoh CX5 Gallery and Sigma DP1 Merrill Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera often, you will need to consider its weight and size. The Ricoh CX5 offers exterior dimensions of 102mm x 59mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 205 grams (0.45 lbs) whilst the Sigma DP1 Merrill has specifications of 122mm x 67mm x 64mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

See the Ricoh CX5 vs Sigma DP1 Merrill in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the CX5 versus the DP1 Merrill.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the CX5 and DP1 Merrill is 92 and 82 respectively.

More often than not, it is very hard to picture the gap between sensor measurements merely by going over technical specs. The visual underneath might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the CX5 and DP1 Merrill.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The CX5 using its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field harder and the Sigma DP1 Merrill will deliver extra detail with its extra 5 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively.