Ricoh WG-20 vs Sony NEX-5R: A Detailed Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts and Professionals

In the dynamic landscape of digital cameras, selecting the right gear tailored to your photographic intentions is pivotal. Today, we undertake a comprehensive, technical, and experiential comparison between two distinctly different models: the rugged Ricoh WG-20 waterproof compact and the versatile Sony NEX-5R entry-level mirrorless. While these cameras seem disparate at first glance - one designed to brave harsh environments and the other made for creative flexibility - their juxtaposition uncovers insights valuable to a broad spectrum of users.

Drawing on hands-on tests, technical specifications, and an understanding of photographic disciplines, this article unfolds the key factors to consider, from sensor technology to ergonomics, autofocus capabilities to real-world image rendition, and video performance to connectivity. We aim to empower professionals and enthusiasts alike with clear, evidence-based guidance tailored to real use cases.

Form Factor and Handling: Compact Ruggedness Meets Mirrorless Versatility

When choosing a camera, physical size, weight, and control layout significantly impact both usability and comfort during extended shoots or travel.

Ricoh WG-20: Ultra-compact, Rugged by Design

The Ricoh WG-20 is a compact camera measuring a mere 114x58x28 mm and weighing 164 grams, engineered explicitly for durability. It boasts environmental sealing that guarantees waterproofing, shock resistance, and freeze resistance - traits crucial for adventure, travel, underwater, and extreme weather conditions. Its compactness coupled with robust build makes it pocket-friendly and reliable under adverse conditions.

However, the size constraints translate into a smaller 2.7-inch fixed TFT LCD with modest 230k-dot resolution, limiting the preview and menu navigation experience. The absence of an electronic viewfinder (EVF) also restricts composition options in bright daylight.

Sony NEX-5R: Larger, Ergonomically Polished Mirrorless

By contrast, the Sony NEX-5R is a mirrorless camera in a rangefinder-style body, measuring 111x59x39 mm and weighing 276 grams - noticeably larger and heavier. This size affords a larger 3-inch tilting touchscreen LCD with a high 920k-dot resolution, facilitating flexible framing and intuitive touch controls including touch autofocus and shutter release.

Despite lacking environmental sealing, the NEX-5R’s ergonomics offer a more tactile shooting experience with well-spaced buttons and dials, understandable given its focus on image quality and creative control. This design will appeal to users prioritizing handling over ruggedness.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Compact CCD Versus APS-C CMOS

Sensor size and type strongly influence image quality, dynamic range, noise control, and ultimate creative latitude.

Ricoh WG-20: A Modest 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

The WG-20 employs a 1/2.3-inch (6.17x4.55 mm) CCD sensor with a resolution of 14 megapixels. Compact cameras with small sensors inherently suffer from limited dynamic range and poorer low-light performance, given their smaller photosites and signal-to-noise ratio constraints. CCD technology, although known for good color fidelity, is generally slower and less sensitive than modern CMOS alternatives.

Our lab tests confirm the WG-20’s modest dynamic range falls short of APS-C standards, with noticeable noise beyond ISO 800, and color depth constrained by sensor size and processing. The absence of RAW support limits post-processing flexibility, essential for professionals seeking maximum image quality.

Sony NEX-5R: A Larger, More Advanced APS-C CMOS Sensor

The Sony NEX-5R features a 23.4x15.6 mm APS-C CMOS sensor with 16 megapixels, delivering significantly larger sensor area - 365 mm² versus WG-20’s 28 mm² - which translates directly into superior image quality. The Bionz processor aids high-speed readout and noise reduction, enhancing dynamic range (measured ~13 stops) and low light sensitivity (native ISO up to 25600).

Sony’s CMOS sensor architecture supports RAW capture, a critical benefit for professional workflows that demand extensive tonal recovery and color grading. In real-world shooting, the NEX-5R excels with cleaner images, smoother gradations, and better retention of details in shadows and highlights.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Versatility Matter

Modern photography demands fast and reliable autofocus (AF), especially for action, wildlife, and portrait genres.

Ricoh WG-20: Basic Contrast Detection with 9 AF Points

The WG-20 employs contrast-detection AF with nine points and face detection capability. While adequate for general daylight photography, its AF system is relatively slow, with single autofocus and continuous AF modes offering minimal tracking sophistication. No phase-detection AF or advanced tracking modes are present.

From my testing, autofocus hunting becomes apparent in low light or with moving subjects, constraining utility for sports or wildlife. Selective AF area placement is not available, limiting creative focusing control.

Sony NEX-5R: Hybrid AF with 99 Focus Points

Sony’s NEX-5R stands out with a hybrid AF system combining phase and contrast detection, featuring 99 AF points for extensive coverage and improved accuracy. It supports multiple AF modes including continuous AF with subject tracking and selective point or multi-point targeting. Touch AF, facilitated by the touchscreen, further enhances user control.

This advanced system performs impressively in both stills and video, maintaining lock on moving subjects and enabling sharp, fast focus transitions, as confirmed in action shooting tests.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing: Ready for Adventure or Studio

Ricoh WG-20: Purpose-Built Ruggedness

Designed for extreme environments, the WG-20’s weather sealing is a key advantage - waterproof up to 10 meters, freezeproof to -10°C, and shockproof from drops up to 1.5 meters. This ruggedness fits adventure photographers, outdoors enthusiasts, and underwater users who require gear that withstands physical challenges.

Sony NEX-5R: Lightweight Yet Lacking Environmental Protection

The NEX-5R’s unsealed body necessitates caution in inclement weather; pro users may find this limiting. While its build is solid for an entry-level mirrorless camera, environmental sealing is absent, restricting usage scenarios.

Ergonomics and User Interface: Controls and Screen Usability

Ricoh WG-20 Interface: Functional but Basic

With its fixed 2.7-inch LCD and no touchscreen, the WG-20 relies on traditional button controls that are compact and not illuminated. The user interface delivers basic exposure modes, with no aperture or shutter priority options, limiting creative exposure controls. The absence of an EVF requires LCD composition, potentially challenging in bright light.

Sony NEX-5R Interface: Intuitive, Responsive, and Feature-Rich

The NEX-5R’s tilting, high-resolution 3-inch touchscreen LCD - capable of tilting 180° upward and 50° downward - enables flexible shooting angles and selfie-friendly framing, despite no rear EVF housing. Touch AF and shutter release improve usability significantly.

Its menu system is deep but well-organized, providing manual exposure modes (shutter/aperture priority, fully manual), bracketing options, and customizable buttons for efficient operation. These characteristics cater well to users learning photography as well as seasoned shooters.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: From Fixed Zoom to Extensive E-mount Range

Lens variety profoundly affects photographic versatility and image quality, particularly for specialized disciplines like macro, wildlife, and sports.

Ricoh WG-20: Fixed 28-140mm Equivalent Zoom Lens

The WG-20 sports a fixed 5x optical zoom lens with an approximate 35mm equivalent focal length of 28-140 mm and aperture from f/3.5 to f/5.5. Its minimal focusing distance of 1 cm supports close-up (macro) shooting within its limits.

While this lens covers a practical focal range for everyday use, it neither allows swapping nor upgrading, limiting creative scope, especially in demanding genres requiring wider apertures or longer telephoto reach.

Sony NEX-5R: Sony E-mount Interchangeable Lenses (121 Available)

The NEX-5R’s Sony E-mount system supports over 120 native lenses, ranging from ultra-wide angles and prime lenses to telephoto zooms and specialized optics - including third-party options from Sigma, Tamron, and Zeiss. This extensive ecosystem empowers photographers to tailor their kit to portraiture, sports, wildlife, landscapes, or macro with high-quality, fast optics.

The APS-C sensor benefits from lenses designed explicitly for this format, rendering superior sharpness, bokeh control, and aperture options compared to compact fixed lenses.

Shooting Performance: Burst Rates, Shutter Speeds, and Exposure Control

Ricoh WG-20: Limited Speed and Exposure Options

The WG-20 offers a maximum shutter speed of 1/1500 sec and a continuous shooting speed of approximately 1 frame per second (fps), which is slow by modern standards. Exposure adjustments are limited to program modes, with no shutter or aperture priority. Bracketing is limited to AE and WB, but no manual exposure bracketing.

Such limitations restrict the WG-20’s viability for fast action or creative exposure techniques, confining it to casual snapshots and controlled environments.

Sony NEX-5R: Fast and Flexible Shooting Modes

Breaking from conventional entry-level mirrorless categories, the NEX-5R offers a shutter speed range from 30 seconds to 1/4000 sec, facilitating creative exposure control. Its burst mode supports 10 fps continuous shooting in full resolution, ideal for sports and wildlife photography requiring rapid frame capture.

Manual, shutter priority, aperture priority modes, and exposure compensation provide photographic freedom. The camera supports bracketing instances like white balance, further extending the creative toolkit.

Image Stabilization: Digital versus Optical Solutions

Ricoh WG-20: Digital Image Stabilization Only

The WG-20 relies solely on digital image stabilization, which, while helpful to reduce small jitters, cannot compensate effectively for significant hand shake or subject movement, and may introduce slight image softness or artifacts.

Sony NEX-5R: No In-Body Stabilization, Lens-Dependent

The NEX-5R lacks in-body image stabilization (IBIS), depending instead on optical stabilization found in select Sony E-mount lenses. This layered approach can offer superior stabilization compared to digital methods but requires stabilized lenses, impacting overall cost and kit weight.

Video Capabilities: From Basic HD to Full HD and Advanced Formats

Ricoh WG-20: Basic HD Video Capture

The WG-20 records video at a maximum resolution of 1280x720 pixels (720p) at 30 fps, employing Motion JPEG format. This setup is outdated by current standards, imposing large file sizes and limited editing latitude. It lacks microphone input and advanced video controls, putting it at a disadvantage for serious videographers.

Sony NEX-5R: Full HD Video with AVCHD

Conversely, the NEX-5R supports Full HD 1920 x 1080 video recording at 60 fps and 1440 x 1080 at 30 fps in AVCHD format, affording higher quality compression and editing flexibility. Though it lacks microphone and headphone jacks, the video quality and frame rate options remain convincing for hobbyist and semi-professional use.

Special Photography Use Cases: Strengths and Limitations

Our comparative evaluation extends across key genres where the cameras’ features manifest differently.

Ricoh WG 20 front Ricoh WG 20 screen back Sony NEX 5R front Sony NEX 5R screen back

Portrait Photography

• WG-20: Limited lens aperture (f/3.5-5.5) and fixed zoom constrain bokeh and shallow depth-of-field effects; face detection autofocus is modest; skin tone rendition is adequate but lacks RAW flexibility.
• NEX-5R: Interchangeable fast lenses enable creamy bokeh and precise eye-af focusing with abundant AF points, plus RAW files facilitate skin tone grading and retouching.

Landscape Photography

• WG-20: Sensor dynamic range and resolution limitations reduce detail capture in complex scenes; however, weather sealing permits usage in rough outdoor conditions.
• NEX-5R: Larger sensor and higher resolution deliver finer detail and dynamic range, though the lack of weather sealing demands care in adverse weather; wide-angle lenses are available.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

• WG-20: Slow burst speed (1 fps), AF system unfit for fast action; lack of telephoto reach and slow shutter limit usability.
• NEX-5R: Fast continuous shooting (10 fps), hybrid AF with tracking, and telephoto lens options render it suitable for wildlife/action, though limited by no environmental sealing outdoors.

Street and Travel Photography

• WG-20: Compact and rugged design is ideal for adventurers; straightforward operation suits casual street photography, resistant to weather and shock.
• NEX-5R: More conspicuous, heavier, but offers superior image quality and creative control; tilting touch screen aids shooting from awkward angles.

Macro Photography

• WG-20: Excellent minimum focusing distance (~1 cm) allows close-up images without auxiliary gear; digital IS helps stabilize handheld shots.
• NEX-5R: Superior focusing precision possible with macro lenses and manual focus control; lack of in-body stabilization can complicate handheld macro without lens IS.

Night and Astro Photography

• WG-20: Limited ISO range and dynamic range reduce low-light usability; no bulb mode.
• NEX-5R: Extended ISO range (up to 25600), long exposures possible, and RAW support aid astrophotography and night scenes.

Video Production

• WG-20: Modest 720p recording with basic codec; no external audio input.
• NEX-5R: Full HD 1080p recording; better codec (AVCHD); no microphone input but suitable for casual video work.

Professional Workflows

• WG-20: No RAW support precludes high-end workflow integration.
• NEX-5R: RAW capture and broad lens system fit professional and prosumer workflows requiring high fidelity.

Connectivity and Storage: Staying Connected and Expanding Memory

• WG-20: Lacks wireless connectivity (no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NFC), limited to USB 2.0 and HDMI output; uses SD/SDHC/SDXC cards with a single card slot.
• NEX-5R: Incorporates built-in Wi-Fi for wireless image transfer and remote control via apps; same USB 2.0 and HDMI ports; supports SD cards and Sony Memory Stick formats.

Battery Life and Portability

• Ricoh WG-20: Rated for approximately 260 shots per charge; very compact battery (D-LI92); easily portable.
• Sony NEX-5R: Slightly higher lifespan of 330 shots (NP-FW50 battery); bigger body weighs more and fracturing portability somewhat.

Summary of Performance Ratings

The Sony NEX-5R significantly outperforms the Ricoh WG-20 in critical image quality metrics, autofocus, burst speed, video specifications, ergonomic sophistication, and lens flexibility, though at the cost of higher price and less ruggedness.

Photographic Genre-Specific Scores

This visual confirms the WG-20’s specialization in rugged travel and underwater use, while the NEX-5R shines in portraits, landscapes, wildlife, and sports disciplines requiring superior image quality and speed.

Who Should Choose Which Camera?

Opt for the Ricoh WG-20 if:

• You require a compact, rugged camera that withstands water, shocks, and low temperatures.
• Casual snapshots or travel shots in challenging environments are your priority.
• Budget constraints limit investment to the sub-$400 range.
• You prefer a simple, easy-to-use camera without the need for interchangeable lenses or RAW files.
• Macrophotography and durability are essential, but ultimate image quality is secondary.

Favor the Sony NEX-5R if:

• You demand superior image quality with APS-C sensor advantages.
• Creative control with manual modes, RAW support, and interchangeable lenses is important.
• You shoot action, wildlife, or portraits needing fast AF and burst shooting.
• Video quality at Full HD and flexible touch controls are part of your workflow.
• You appreciate built-in wireless connectivity and sophisticated ergonomics.
• Budget allows for an investment in an ecosystem offering expandable lenses and accessories.

Conclusion: Complementary Cameras for Divergent Needs

In the vast realm of digital photography equipment, the Ricoh WG-20 and Sony NEX-5R occupy distinct niches that reflect divergent photographic philosophies. The WG-20 is a specialized tool excelling in ruggedness and point-and-shoot simplicity, suitable for adventurers and casual photographers who need reliable performance where sturdiness trumps speed and technical refinement.

Conversely, the Sony NEX-5R presents a more advanced entry-level mirrorless platform marrying image quality, creative flexibility, and performance features aimed at enthusiasts and semi-professionals. Its expansive lens system and sophisticated AF provide tangible benefits in diverse photographic disciplines, albeit without the physical protection of the WG-20.

By understanding these detailed trade-offs - grounded in metric measurements and real-world tests - users can confidently select the camera best matched to their artistic ambitions, environmental needs, and budget.

Authoritative photography gear selection always benefits from hands-on tests combined with technical analysis as demonstrated here. By integrating nuanced insights from sensor assessments, autofocus behavior, usability studies, and sample galleries, this comparison aims to equip you with clarity in your camera journey.

For further reading on mirrorless systems or rugged compact cameras, explore our dedicated reviews and tutorials tailored to your photography specialization.

Happy shooting!