Ricoh WG-30W vs Samsung NX500

Below is a extensive assessment of the Ricoh WG-30W and Samsung NX500, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Ricoh and Samsung. There is a sizable difference among the sensor resolutions of the WG-30W (16MP) and NX500 (28MP) and the WG-30W (1/2.3") and NX500 (APS-C) offer different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The WG-30W was introduced 4 months prior to the NX500 and they are both of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Ricoh WG-30W being a Compact camera and the Samsung NX500 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple overview of how the WG-30W grades against the NX500 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Ricoh WG-30W & Samsung NX500. The whole galleries are viewable at Ricoh WG-30W Gallery & Samsung NX500 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and size. The Ricoh WG-30W provides physical dimensions of 123mm x 62mm x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") with a weight of 194 grams (0.43 lbs) while the Samsung NX500 has specifications of 120mm x 64mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Contrast the Ricoh WG-30W and Samsung NX500 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose during that time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the WG-30W vs the NX500.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the WG-30W and NX500 is 91 and 87 respectively.

Often, it is tough to visualize the gap in sensor measurements just by looking through specifications. The photograph below should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the WG-30W and NX500.

To sum up, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The WG-30W using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Samsung NX500 will result in greater detail using its extra 12 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs more aggressively.