Ricoh WG-4 vs Sony a1

Its time to examine more in depth at the Ricoh WG-4 and Sony a1, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Ricoh and Sony. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the WG-4 (16MP) and a1 (50MP) and the WG-4 (1/2.3") and a1 (Full frame) use different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The WG-4 was manufactured 8 years prior to the a1 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Ricoh WG-4 being a Compact camera and the Sony a1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a short view of how the WG-4 matches up against the a1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Ricoh WG-4 and Sony Alpha a1. The entire galleries are viewable at Ricoh WG-4 Gallery and Sony a1 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to think about its weight and proportions. The Ricoh WG-4 enjoys exterior 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) whilst the Sony a1 has measurements of 129mm x 97mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 737 grams (1.62 lbs).

See the Ricoh WG-4 and Sony a1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select at the time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the WG-4 compared to the a1.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the WG-4 and a1 is 90 and 61 respectively.

Usually, its difficult to imagine the difference in sensor measurements merely by seeing specs. The graphic underneath will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the WG-4 and a1.

All in all, both of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The WG-4 because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more challenging and the Sony a1 will produce extra detail due to its extra 34MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs much more aggressively. The older WG-4 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.