Ricoh GXR A16 24-85mm vs Sony WX350: A Deep Dive into Two Distinct Cameras for Every Photography Enthusiast

Choosing a camera isn’t trivial - the decision steers how you capture memories, how much gear you tote, and ultimately, what kind of images you walk away with. Today, I’m comparing two cameras that at first glance seem worlds apart, yet each carved out a place in the compact and advanced mirrorless scene. The Ricoh GXR A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5, an APS-C sensor rangefinder-style unit announced back in 2012, goes head-to-head with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX350, a tiny small-sensor superzoom compact from 2014.

Surprisingly, these cameras cater to overlapping but distinct user needs - portrait vs. travel, sensor quality vs. zoom reach, manual controls vs. point-and-shoot simplicity. Having put both through their paces over weeks in the field (portrait sessions, landscapes, a bit of street, some casual wildlife, even night photography setups), I’m here to unpack where each shines, where compromises lie, and who should opt for which.

Let’s get right into a head-to-head of their core capabilities and real-world shooting experiences.

Size, Ergonomics, and Handling: Comfortable Grip or Pocketable Convenience?

First impressions matter, and handling defines long shooting sessions or spontaneous moments.

The Ricoh GXR A16 touts a substantial, rangefinder-inspired body at 114x75x93 mm and weighing 550 grams. It feels balanced but decidedly on the hefty side, reminiscent of classic mirrorless cameras with its manual dials and larger handgrip. For those accustomed to rangefinder-style bodies, the Ricoh’s ergonomics provide tactile satisfaction in adjusting aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation without fumbling through menus. However, it isn't pocket-friendly – more suited to a sling bag.

Contrast this with the Sony WX350, which shrinks down to 96x55x26 mm and weighs a mere 164 grams. This little marvel nearly disappears in your palm or even a jacket pocket. It's the quintessential grab-and-go camera - no fuss, compact, and ready. The slim profile inevitably compromises grip comfort during longer shoots, but Sony implements enough texturing and button spacing to keep fingers steady.

Looking at the top controls,

Ricoh’s manual shooter layout has dedicated dials for aperture and shutter priority, plus a mode dial, giving you intuitive control at your fingertips. Sony’s WX350 keeps it minimal, opting for simpler modes and far fewer physical controls, consistent with a compact superzoom design aimed at casual shooters.

Bottom line: If you prize a firm grip and direct manual control, Ricoh GXR feels more natural under your hands. For travel light and discrete shooting, Sony WX350 wins hands down.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: Big Sensor Muscle vs. Superzoom Flexibility

Sensor size is often the defining attribute that influences image quality, depth of field control, and low-light prowess.

The Ricoh GXR A16 sports an APS-C sized CMOS sensor measuring 23.6 x 15.7 mm with 16 megapixels resolution (4928x3264 max), nearly the same sensor footprint found in many enthusiast DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. An APS-C sensor typically brings superior dynamic range, better color depth, and much improved high ISO noise control. It also affords shallower depth of field, desirable for portraiture and artistic effects.

In contrast, the Sony WX350 houses a tiny 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm) with 18 megapixels. While it boasts a higher pixel count, the small sensor size limits its inherent image quality. Noise performance especially takes a hit beyond ISO 800, and dynamic range is constrained - typical for compact superzoom shooters.

I ran both cameras through standardized tests and real-world scenes, shooting RAW on the Ricoh (its raw support is a big plus) versus only JPEG on the Sony (no raw option). As expected, the Ricoh's images exhibited cleaner shadows, richer tonal gradations, and finer detail retention. The Sony sometimes looked slightly oversharpened and struggled in low light.

The Ricoh’s anti-aliasing filter is present, which slightly softens fine detail, but the cleaner colors and better ISO handling make up for it. Regarding max ISO, Ricoh stops at 3200 while Sony pushes to 12800 - but trust me, going beyond 1600 on the Sony is more about marketing than practical image use.

Summary: For those who cherish image quality first, the Ricoh’s APS-C sensor is a significant advantage. Superzoom flexibility on the Sony comes at the cost of image fidelity.

LCD Screens and User Interface: Checking Your Frame and Navigating Menus

Both cameras feature 3-inch fixed LCDs but of differing resolutions and quality.

Ricoh's 920k-dot TFT panel renders a brighter, crisper view allowing confident composition and review of images, even under bright daylight (with a slight angle shift). Sony’s WX350 uses a 460k-dot display - decent but soft compared to the Ricoh’s and harder to assess fine details. It suffices for casual framing but leaves extra scrutiny for later on your computer.

Neither camera is equipped with a touchscreen or an electronic viewfinder out-of-the-box (Ricoh offers an optional EVF you can clip on, but it’s an extra purchase and somewhat clunky). While Ricoh offers manual focus aids like peaking, the WX350 doesn’t have manual focus capability at all.

Navigating menus on the Ricoh, thanks to its physical dials and buttons, feels fluid and suited for users who want to tweak settings quickly. The Sony’s menu system is streamlined but less flexible - you won’t find shutter priority or aperture priority modes here, only scene presets and a standard auto mode.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Precision vs. Snapshots in a Blink

Here's where the Ricoh GXR reveals its age in speed but not in precision.

• Ricoh GXR A16 employs contrast-detection autofocus with some face detection capabilities but no phase detection, continuous AF is supported but lacks modern tracking.
• Burst shooting is capped at 3 fps, which limits action shots.
• Its manual focus ring feels accurate but slow compared to newer lenses.

Conversely, Sony WX350, though a compact, surprises with its 10 fps continuous shooting - excellent for wildlife or spontaneous moments. Autofocus is contrast detection only but includes multi-area AF and face detection, along with a decent AF tracking mode.

However, the small sensor and slower shutter speed range (max 1/1600 s) constrain freezing fast motion.

In controlled tests, Ricoh’s AF was reliable for portraits and still subjects but sluggish tracking. Sony offered quick lock-on for casual subjects but sometimes hunted in low contrast.

Lens and Zoom Range: Flexibility vs. Image Quality Tradeoff

One of Ricoh’s defining features is its modular sensor-plus-lens units - the A16 module is fixed 24–85mm equivalent (36–128mm full frame) with f/3.5–5.5 aperture, a decent walk-around zoom range, but lacks any image stabilization.

Sony WX350 packs a whopping 25–500mm equivalent (20x optical zoom) lens with optical image stabilization (OIS).

For travel photographers or those needing to zoom far without changing lenses or carrying multiple bodies, Sony’s reach is tempting. The WX350’s OIS also recovers some camera shake at telephoto lengths, allowing slower shutter speeds with crisp results.

Ricoh’s not having stabilization means shooting at long zooms or slow shutter speeds demands a tripod or steady hand.

Battery Life and Storage Options: Ready for the Long Haul?

Ricoh’s GXR offers about 400 shots per battery charge - reasonable for APS-C cameras but not class-leading. It uses a proprietary DB-90 battery pack.

Sony WX350 pushes further at 470 shots per charge on the relatively tiny NP-BX1 battery.

Both use a single SD card slot, with the Sony supporting Memory Stick Pro Duo as well (a bonus if you have older Sony cards handy). USB and HDMI ports exist on both, allowing tethered shooting or direct output to monitors.

Connectivity-wise, Sony includes built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) for quick photo sharing - a practical feature for social shooters. Ricoh GXR lacks any wireless or Bluetooth capability.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing: Durability Factor

Neither camera is officially weather sealed, dustproof, or ruggedized.

Ricoh’s solid, chunkier build offers a reassuring hand feel that suggests solidity but still needs care around liquids or dust.

Sony’s WX350 compactness means tradeoff, with plastic-heavy construction that is sturdy yet clearly not designed for harsh environments.

If weather resistance matters, neither device is a front-runner. You’d want to consider more recent rugged cameras for fieldwork in tough conditions.

Video Capabilities: Are Moving Pictures Part of Your Workflow?

Here the Sony WX350 takes a clear win:

• Full HD video recording at 1920x1080 pixels at 60p in AVCHD or MP4 format.
• Optical image stabilization handy during handheld video.
• Various frame rate and quality modes.
• No external microphone port, but decent built-in mic quality for casual footage.

Ricoh’s GXR A16 shoots only HD at 720p max resolution at 30 fps, encoded in MPEG-4. No mic input or advanced video modes.

If video is a side interest, Sony provides better specs and flexibility. The Ricoh is purely a photographic tool.

Specialized Photography Disciplines: Who Wins Where?

Let’s break down how each camera fares across common photography genres:

Portrait Photography

Ricoh’s APS-C sensor yields superior skin tone nuances and natural bokeh at 85mm equivalent compared to Sony’s tiny sensor and deep-depth-of-field lens. Manual focus and aperture priority modes allow subtle depth control. Sony’s face detection helps beginner portraits but camera shake at tele zoom easily affects sharpness.

Landscape Photography

Ricoh’s higher dynamic range and better resolution capture wide tonal ranges and details, vital for dramatic landscapes. Lack of weather sealing requires care outdoors. Sony’s superzoom allows extreme telephoto views, but noise and dynamic range lag behind, making large prints less desirable.

Wildlife Photography

Sony’s 20x zoom and 10 fps burst offer an advantage capturing distant animals in motion, though sensor noise and autofocus limits curb quality. Ricoh’s slower burst and no tele lens hurt its wildlife credentials.

Sports Photography

Neither excel here; Ricoh’s slow burst and compact’s slower shutters limit use for fast action. Sony fares better with faster fps but autofocus lag and noise restrict low-light indoor sports.

Street Photography

Sony’s pocket-sized convenience and quiet operation suit candid street shooting, but fixed aperture and less control limit creativity. Ricoh’s manual controls and APS-C sensor allow artistic street portraits but bulkier body and slower AF impede reaction speed.

Macro Photography

Neither camera specializes in macro. Ricoh’s 85mm max isn’t ideal for close-up, and no focus bracketing or stacking. Sony lacks manual focus, important for macro precision.

Night and Astrophotography

Ricoh’s better high ISO and raw shooting make it far superior for night scenes and star shots with noise control. Sony’s noise and limited manual settings hamper astrophotography.

Video Use

Sony’s Full HD with optical stabilization and better frame rates make it a comfortable travel vlog or casual video camera. Ricoh’s limited video is for secondary use only.

Travel Photography

Sony WX350 is the clear winner for travel - ultra lightweight, enormous zoom, good battery life, and wireless sharing. Ricoh’s image quality is a boon but the size and fragility limit portability.

Professional Workflows

Ricoh’s raw image support, manual controls, and superior image quality cater more to enthusiasts and pros wanting flexibility. Sony’s aggressive JPEG processing and lack of raw limit professional uses.

Summary of Performance Scores: Who Takes the Lead?

Based on my evaluations, here are summarized scores reflecting overall and genre-specific capabilities.

Ricoh GXR A16 dominates in image quality, portrait, landscape, and night photography zones. Sony WX350 leads in zoom reach, burst shooting, and travel convenience.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

So, who is each camera really for?

• Ricoh GXR A16 24-85mm is for the photographer who prioritizes image quality, manual control, and creative flexibility above all else. If you want a camera to experiment with aperture/shutter priority, shoot in RAW, and produce top-notch portraits or landscapes, this is a small system with surprising aptitude despite its age. Think more deliberate, less spontaneous.

• Sony WX350 shines for the traveller, casual shooter, or enthusiast wanting all-in-one zoom power without hassle. If you want a pocketable camera that can reach subjects far away, capture smooth Full HD video, and share shots wirelessly, this is the practical choice. Image quality is okay but won't satisfy advanced users or big print lovers.

If budget is a consideration, Sony’s $270-class price is accessible versus Ricoh’s near $870 asking price (used or new-old-stock). That price gap reflects the sensor advantage, manual versatility, and build quality.

The Takeaway

My advice? Reflect on your photography style and needs. Want control, quality, and artistic nuance? Lean Ricoh. Need portability, zoom, and casual ease? Go Sony.

There’s no single “best” here - just different tools crafted for different photographic explorations. Hopefully, this comparison empowers you to make a choice that aligns with your creative journey.

Feel free to dive into the sample galleries I produced with both,

Ricoh GXR A16 24 85mm F3.5 5.5 front Ricoh GXR A16 24 85mm F3.5 5.5 screen back Sony WX350 front Sony WX350 screen back

and get a feel for the kind of images you can expect in your own hands.

Before you decide, remember that camera tech evolves, but your eye and approach matter most - so choose gear that inspires you to press the shutter.

Happy shooting, and may your next camera elevate your vision!