Ricoh WG-4 GPS vs Sigma DP3 Merrill

Following is a extended overview of the Ricoh WG-4 GPS and Sigma DP3 Merrill, former is a Waterproof while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Ricoh and Sigma. The image resolution of the WG-4 GPS (16MP) and the DP3 Merrill (15MP) is fairly close but the WG-4 GPS (1/2.3") and DP3 Merrill (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The WG-4 GPS was unveiled 14 months after the DP3 Merrill making them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Ricoh WG-4 GPS being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP3 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the WG-4 GPS grades versus the DP3 Merrill with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Ricoh WG-4 GPS & Sigma DP3 Merrill. The full galleries are provided at Ricoh WG-4 GPS Gallery & Sigma DP3 Merrill Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and size. The Ricoh WG-4 GPS offers external measurements of 124mm x 64mm x 33mm (4.9" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 235 grams (0.52 lbs) whilst the Sigma DP3 Merrill has specifications of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") and a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Check out the Ricoh WG-4 GPS and Sigma DP3 Merrill in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the WG-4 GPS vs the DP3 Merrill.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the WG-4 GPS and DP3 Merrill is 90 and 83 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to envision the contrast in sensor sizes purely by looking through technical specs. The picture underneath should provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the WG-4 GPS and DP3 Merrill.

As you can tell, both of those cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The WG-4 GPS with its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Ricoh WG-4 GPS will result in greater detail having an extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The more recent WG-4 GPS will have an edge in sensor tech.