Ricoh WG-50 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill

Here is a detailed review of the Ricoh WG-50 and Sigma SD1 Merrill, former being a Waterproof while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Ricoh and Sigma. The image resolution of the WG-50 (16MP) and the SD1 Merrill (15MP) is very similar but the WG-50 (1/2.3") and SD1 Merrill (APS-C) offer different sensor sizing.

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The WG-50 was announced 5 years later than the SD1 Merrill and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Ricoh WG-50 being a Compact camera and the Sigma SD1 Merrill being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief summary of how the WG-50 matches up against the SD1 Merrill with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Ricoh WG-50 & Sigma SD1 Merrill. The whole galleries are viewable at Ricoh WG-50 Gallery & Sigma SD1 Merrill Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and dimensions. The Ricoh WG-50 enjoys physical dimensions of 123mm x 62mm x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs) while the Sigma SD1 Merrill has dimensions of 146mm x 113mm x 80mm (5.7" x 4.4" x 3.1") and a weight of 790 grams (1.74 lbs).

Check the Ricoh WG-50 and Sigma SD1 Merrill in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you use during that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the WG-50 and the SD1 Merrill.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the WG-50 and SD1 Merrill is 91 and 57 respectively.

More often than not, its difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing merely by reviewing specs. The visual here should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the WG-50 and SD1 Merrill.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The WG-50 with its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field tougher and the Ricoh WG-50 will offer you greater detail with its extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images a bit more aggressively. The younger WG-50 provides a benefit in sensor innovation.