Ricoh WG-20 vs Sony A550

Here is a in depth analysis of the Ricoh WG-20 and Sony A550, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Ricoh and Sony. The resolution of the WG-20 (14MP) and the A550 (14MP) is very comparable but the WG-20 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizes.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The WG-20 was launched 4 years later than the A550 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Ricoh WG-20 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a complete comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the WG-20 scores against the A550 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Ricoh WG-20 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The complete galleries are available at Ricoh WG-20 Gallery & Sony A550 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera often, you should take into account its weight and measurements. The Ricoh WG-20 enjoys outside measurements of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs) and the Sony A550 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Check the Ricoh WG-20 and Sony A550 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is a front view size comparison of the WG-20 compared to the A550.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the WG-20 and A550 is 93 and 63 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to see the gap in sensor sizing only by going through technical specs. The photograph underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the WG-20 and A550.

As you have seen, both of the cameras have the same megapixel count but not the same sensor sizing. The WG-20 uses the smaller sensor which is going to make obtaining shallower DOF tougher. The more recent WG-20 will have an edge in sensor tech.