Ricoh WG-4 vs Sigma DP2 Merrill

On this page, we are evaluating the Ricoh WG-4 versus Sigma DP2 Merrill, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by brands Ricoh and Sigma. The resolution of the WG-4 (16MP) and the DP2 Merrill (15MP) is fairly comparable but the WG-4 (1/2.3") and DP2 Merrill (APS-C) offer different sensor sizes.

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The WG-4 was launched 2 years after the DP2 Merrill which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Ricoh WG-4 being a Compact camera and the Sigma DP2 Merrill being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summation of how the WG-4 scores against the DP2 Merrill in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Ricoh WG-4 and Sigma DP2 Merrill. The complete galleries are provided at Ricoh WG-4 Gallery and Sigma DP2 Merrill Gallery.

If you're going to travel with your camera, you will want to consider its weight and volume. The Ricoh WG-4 provides outside dimensions of 124mm x 64mm x 33mm (4.9" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) and the Sigma DP2 Merrill has sizing of 122mm x 67mm x 59mm (4.8" x 2.6" x 2.3") with a weight of 330 grams (0.73 lbs).

Contrast the Ricoh WG-4 versus Sigma DP2 Merrill in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the WG-4 vs the DP2 Merrill.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the WG-4 and DP2 Merrill is 90 and 83 respectively.

More often than not, its tough to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions merely by checking out technical specs. The pic below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the WG-4 and DP2 Merrill.

As you can tell, both the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The WG-4 due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Ricoh WG-4 will provide greater detail utilizing its extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images more aggressively. The more modern WG-4 should have an advantage in sensor innovation.