Ricoh WG-30W vs Sigma DP2 Merrill

On this page, we will be analyzing the Ricoh WG-30W and Sigma DP2 Merrill, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Ricoh and Sigma. The sensor resolution of the WG-30W (16MP) and the DP2 Merrill (15MP) is relatively well matched but the WG-30W (1/2.3") and DP2 Merrill (APS-C) boast totally different sensor size.

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The WG-30W was manufactured 2 years later than the DP2 Merrill and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Ricoh WG-30W being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP2 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the WG-30W grades vs the DP2 Merrill with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Ricoh WG-30W & Sigma DP2 Merrill. The entire galleries are viewable at Ricoh WG-30W Gallery & Sigma DP2 Merrill Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Ricoh WG-30W has exterior measurements of 123mm x 62mm x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 194 grams (0.43 lbs) whilst the Sigma DP2 Merrill has measurements of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") and a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Take a look at the Ricoh WG-30W and Sigma DP2 Merrill in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are using at the time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the WG-30W vs the DP2 Merrill.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the WG-30W and DP2 Merrill is 91 and 83 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to visualise the gap between sensor measurements just by looking at specs. The graphic below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the WG-30W and DP2 Merrill.

All in all, both the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The WG-30W because of its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Ricoh WG-30W will resolve extra detail due to its extra 1 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The younger WG-30W is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.