Ricoh WG-5 GPS vs Sony a1

Here, we will be matching up the Ricoh WG-5 GPS and Sony a1, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by companies Ricoh and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap among the resolutions of the WG-5 GPS (16MP) and a1 (50MP) and the WG-5 GPS (1/2.3") and a1 (Full frame) offer different sensor measurements.

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The WG-5 GPS was revealed 7 years before the a1 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Ricoh WG-5 GPS being a Compact camera and the Sony a1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a full comparison, here is a quick view of how the WG-5 GPS grades vs the a1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Ricoh WG-5 GPS & Sony Alpha a1. The full galleries are available at Ricoh WG-5 GPS Gallery & Sony a1 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry your camera, you need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Ricoh WG-5 GPS comes with outer measurements of 125mm x 65mm x 32mm (4.9" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 236 grams (0.52 lbs) whilst the Sony a1 has measurements of 129mm x 97mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 737 grams (1.62 lbs).

Check out the Ricoh WG-5 GPS and Sony a1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you use at the time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the WG-5 GPS vs the a1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the WG-5 GPS and a1 is 90 and 61 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizing just by researching specs. The photograph here may give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the WG-5 GPS and a1.

All in all, each of these cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The WG-5 GPS with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony a1 will result in greater detail because of its extra 34 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs way more aggressively. The older WG-5 GPS will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.