Ricoh WG-20 vs Sony A37

Below is a thorough assessment of the Ricoh WG-20 and Sony A37, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Ricoh and Sony. The image resolution of the WG-20 (14MP) and the A37 (16MP) is pretty close but the WG-20 (1/2.3") and A37 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor measurements.

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The WG-20 was introduced 21 months later than the A37 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Ricoh WG-20 being a Compact camera and the Sony A37 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a complete comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the WG-20 matches up versus the A37 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Ricoh WG-20 and Sony SLT-A37. The whole galleries are viewable at Ricoh WG-20 Gallery and Sony A37 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Ricoh WG-20 comes with physical measurements of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Sony A37 has proportions of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") with a weight of 506 grams (1.12 lbs).

Check the Ricoh WG-20 and Sony A37 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select at that moment. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the WG-20 versus the A37.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the WG-20 and A37 is 93 and 67 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to see the contrast in sensor measurements purely by looking through technical specs. The graphic here might give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the WG-20 and A37.

As you have seen, both of the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The WG-20 having a smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A37 will render more detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The newer WG-20 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.