Ricoh WG-30 vs Sony A500

Let's look a little more closely at the Ricoh WG-30 vs Sony A500, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Ricoh and Sony. There is a big difference between the resolutions of the WG-30 (16MP) and A500 (12MP) and the WG-30 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) have different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The WG-30 was announced 5 years later than the A500 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Ricoh WG-30 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short overview of how the WG-30 matches up against the A500 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Ricoh WG-30 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The whole galleries are available at Ricoh WG-30 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Ricoh WG-30 has got physical dimensions of 123mm x 62mm x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 192 grams (0.42 lbs) and the Sony A500 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Analyze the Ricoh WG-30 vs Sony A500 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the WG-30 and the A500.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the WG-30 and A500 is 91 and 63 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to picture the gap between sensor sizing simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The graphic below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the WG-30 and A500.

Clearly, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The WG-30 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Ricoh WG-30 will deliver extra detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images more aggressively. The more modern WG-30 provides an advantage with regard to sensor tech.