Ricoh WG-50 vs Sony A290

Its time to look closer at the Ricoh WG-50 vs Sony A290, former is a Waterproof while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Ricoh and Sony. The image resolution of the WG-50 (16MP) and the A290 (14MP) is very similar but the WG-50 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) feature different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The WG-50 was brought out 7 years after the A290 which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Ricoh WG-50 being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving in to a full comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the WG-50 matches up vs the A290 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Ricoh WG-50 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The entire galleries are provided at Ricoh WG-50 Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and size. The Ricoh WG-50 offers physical measurements of 123mm x 62mm x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") and a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs) whilst the Sony A290 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") having a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Contrast the Ricoh WG-50 vs Sony A290 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are using at the time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the WG-50 against the A290.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the WG-50 and A290 is 91 and 66 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to picture the contrast between sensor sizes merely by going over a spec sheet. The pic below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the WG-50 and A290.

Clearly, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The WG-50 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF harder and the Ricoh WG-50 will deliver greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images far more aggressively. The younger WG-50 provides an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.