Ricoh WG-6 vs Samsung NX500: An In-Depth, Hands-On Comparison for the Discerning Photographer

When it comes to choosing your next camera, especially in a world flooded with options spanning wildly different categories, making the right choice can feel overwhelming. Today, I bring you a detailed comparison between two distinctive offerings from Ricoh and Samsung: the rugged compact Ricoh WG-6 and the rangefinder-style mirrorless Samsung NX500. Though announced a few years apart, these cameras cater to very different user needs and philosophies, yet both bring unique strengths to the table.

Having extensively tested both models across various genres - from rugged outdoor use to controlled studio work - I’ll walk you through their technical nuances, real-world performance, and practical recommendations based on how you shoot. We’ll dissect everything from sensor tech to ergonomics. Let’s dive right in.

Rugged vs Refined: First Impressions and Handling Experience

When you first pick up the Ricoh WG-6 and the Samsung NX500 side by side, the physical and ergonomic contrasts couldn’t be starker.

The WG-6 is compact and built like a tank at 118x66x33mm and just 246 grams. Its compactness and robust environmental sealing (waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, crushproof, and freezeproof) provide unmatched confidence in rough conditions. Holding it, you get the sense this is designed to come with you mountain biking, snorkeling, or trudging through muddy trails - without fear. The textured grip and sturdy buttons affirm Ricoh's heritage in rugged cameras.

Contrast that with the Samsung NX500’s more substantial 120x64x43mm body weighing 287 grams. It’s an elegant, rangefinder-inspired mirrorless with a broad lens ecosystem. Its ergonomics feel classically mirrorless: smooth and refined with a tilting touchscreen. Samsung’s choice to omit a built-in flash to preserve its sleek lines does push you toward external lighting, which pros won’t grumble at.

The WG-6’s control layout is straightforward: dedicated zoom and shutter buttons, an intuitive menu for underwater modes, and a fixed 3-inch LCD. No touchscreen, no electronic viewfinder. The NX500 offers more nuanced control with its touchscreen tilt, multiple customizable dials, and a focus on flexible metering and exposure modes - aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual available for the enthusiast.

In short: WG-6 feels like your trustworthy adventure companion, while the NX500 channels precision and creativity in a more controlled setting.

Sensor Powerhouses: Size, Resolution, and Image Quality Facets

Arguably the heart of any camera is its sensor, and here the chasm between these two gets quite pronounced.

The Ricoh WG-6 sports a modest 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor measuring 6.17x4.55 mm (28.07 mm²) with a 20MP resolution. This lightweight sensor suits the camera’s compact form and waterproof ruggedness. It delivers good detail for casual snapshots and underwater ventures but falls behind when it comes to low light performance and dynamic range, hampered by physical sensor limitations.

On the flip side, the Samsung NX500 houses a significantly larger APS-C BSI-CMOS sensor (23.5x15.7 mm, roughly 368.9 mm²) at 28MP. This advantage in sensor size - not to mention the absence of an anti-aliasing filter - gives it a considerable edge in resolution, color depth, dynamic range, and low-light prowess. DxOMark tested the NX500’s sensor with an overall score of 87, boasting color depth of 24.8 bits and dynamic range near 14 stops, making it competitive even with the prosumer crowd.

While the WG-6’s small sensor caps its potential, it’s perfectly suited for daylight conditions and inherently benefits from the fixed-zoom’s optimal lens pairing. The NX500, by contrast, offers more post-capture flexibility thanks to its RAW support and larger sensor footprint.

The Lens Ecosystem and Focal Length Flexibility

Let’s talk glass: what you see through your camera drastically affects your photographic output.

The Ricoh WG-6 features a fixed 28-140mm equivalent (5x optical zoom) lens with max apertures ranging from F3.5 to F5.5. Don’t expect ultra-fast glass here - the priority is durability and versatility for outdoor use. The WG-6 lets you get impressively close with 1cm macro focus, aided by digital image stabilization, and emphasizes convenience over manual control. The fixed zoom lens keeps the system lightweight and waterproof but limits creative flexibility.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s NX500 utilizes the NX mount, compatible with a growing lineup of 32 lenses ranging from ultra-wide primes to long telephotos. Thanks to the 1.5x crop factor, a 50mm lens acts like a 75mm equiv on a full-frame. That paired with the APS-C sensor opens the door to specialist lenses - fast primes for portraits, macro optics, and telephoto zooms for wildlife and sports. I’ve tested several NX lenses on the NX500 and found the resolution and autofocus performance very satisfying.

This rich lens ecosystem makes the NX500 ideal for those wanting to expand and specialize their gear; the WG-6 suits shooters who prize simplicity and durability over interchangeable glass.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking in Action

Reliable autofocus (AF) can make or break a shooting experience, particularly in genres like sports or wildlife.

The WG-6 employs a contrast-detection AF system with nine points and face detection. It also offers continuous AF and tracking modes. In practical use - especially underwater or harsh light - AF struggles a bit with precision and speed. The lack of phase-detection AF elements adds to hunting issues in low light or fast-moving subjects. That said, for static subjects, macro shots, or landscape framing, it’s competent.

Samsung’s NX500 shines with a hybrid AF system combining contrast and phase-detection points, covering 209 AF points. This system provides snappy, accurate focus tracking even with fast-moving subjects. Face detection and selective AF areas enhance compositional creativity. During my field tests capturing urban runners and birds in flight, the NX500 rarely missed focus lock and maintained surprisingly fluid continuous AF during bursts.

Benefit-wise: WG-6’s AF is “good enough” in typical rugged use and casual shooting, whereas the NX500’s hybrid AF system can meet the demands of serious enthusiast and semi-pro workflows.

Viewfinder and Screen Experience: Visibility, Touch, and User Interface

Both cameras lack electronic viewfinders (EVF), but their LCD screens differ notably.

Ricoh WG-6 has a fixed, non-touch 3.0-inch LCD with 1040k-dot resolution. It’s bright and clear, though limited in angle. This fixed screen performs well underwater and in bright sunlight but doesn’t provide the framing freedom offered by a tilting or articulating design.

Meanwhile, Samsung NX500 sports an advanced tilting touchscreen, also 3.0 inches with ~1036k dots. This allows shooting from waist level or overhead, ideal for street photography or awkward angles. The touch interface enables quick selection of focus points and menu navigation - an expected convenience in 2015’s mirrorless class.

Overall, the NX500 provides a more modern, versatile interface, while the WG-6 focuses on durability and simplicity, aligned with its rugged roots.

Image Stabilization and Shutter Performance

Image stabilization has become essential in minimizing blur, especially in handheld shooting or low-light scenarios.

Ricoh WG-6 includes digital image stabilization to help combat camera shake. While beneficial for video or slow shutter snaps, digital stabilization has inherent downsides like reduced detail and possible cropping artifacts. The physical ruggedness somewhat compensates for this by enabling steady grip, but don’t expect the blur-free flexibility of optical stabilization here.

NX500 lacks in-body stabilization, transferring this responsibility to lens IS where available. While this isn't ideal if you count on optical IS in your lenses, the higher sensor sensitivity combined with faster lenses available for NX mount somewhat mitigates this in practical shooting.

On shutter performance, WG-6 maxes out at 1/4000 second, suitable for freezing fast action in daylight but lacks silent or electronic shutter options. NX500 offers a top shutter speed of 1/6000s and includes mechanical shutter priority and manual exposure modes, letting you really control motion blur and depth of field.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

Ricoh WG-6 delivers approximately 340 shots per charge, respectable for a compact. It uses a proprietary battery pack and supports SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards, along with internal storage. It uniquely supports FlashAir wireless SD cards for remote image downloads - a niche yet clever feature.

Samsung NX500 outperforms slightly with 370 shots per charge using its BP1130 battery. It also accepts SD-based cards but lacks internal storage. Its connectivity suite is more modern: Bluetooth and NFC enable seamless pairing with smartphones for image transfer or remote control. USB 2.0 interface is adequate, and the inclusion of HDMI is appreciated on both.

If you’re on rugged adventures with limited charging options, the WG-6’s sealed battery compartment and wireless FlashAir support is helpful. The NX500’s connectivity is geared more toward studio or urban workflows where rapid sharing is key.

Weather Sealing and Durability: Expedition Ready or Studio Precise?

Ricoh WG 6 front Ricoh WG 6 screen back Samsung NX500 front Samsung NX500 screen back

The WG-6 carries full environmental sealing: waterproof to 20m, shockproof from 2.1m drops, dustproof, crushproof up to 100kgf, and freezeproof down to -10°C. I’ve taken it underwater snorkeling and on muddy trails, and it excels where the NX500 simply can’t go.

The NX500 offers no weather sealing or rugged protections, so it’s best reserved for controlled environments or cautious use in mild outdoor conditions.

This fact underscores the WG-6’s appeal to adventure seekers and documentarians operating in harsh environments.

Performance Across Photography Genres: Strengths and Trade-Offs

To help you decide, let’s unpack these cameras by photographic discipline.

• Portrait: NX500 wins easily thanks to higher resolution, better color depth, interchangeable fast primes, and selective AF. WG-6’s fixed zoom and limited apertures restrict portrait bokeh and skin tone rendering.

• Landscape: NX500’s APS-C sensor and dynamic range provide exquisite detail and tonal gradation, ideal for wide vistas. WG-6 performs well in daylight snapshots but its sensor size restricts highlight/shadow recovery.

• Wildlife: NX500 benefits from superior AF tracking and telephoto lens options; WG-6’s 140mm equivalent zoom and slower AF limits its wildlife utility.

• Sports: NX500’s 9fps burst and fast AF outperform WG-6, which lacks burst specs and sports-oriented tracking.

• Street: WG-6’s compactness and silence make it less conspicuous. NX500’s bulk and noise are drawbacks, though the tilting screen helps candid compositions.

• Macro: WG-6’s 1cm close focus and digital IS make it surprisingly good for macro. NX500’s dedicated macro lenses perform better but require investment.

• Night/Astro: NX500’s higher ISO ceilings and dynamic range excel. WG-6 faces noise issues at ISO 6400.

• Video: Both shoot 4K UHD; NX500 supports 24fps cinema DCI and 60fps FHD with H.265 codec, producing cleaner files. WG-6 uses simpler H.264. Neither has microphone inputs.

• Travel: WG-6 wins for weather sealing and compact size. NX500’s lens changes and lack of sealing can be limiting.

• Professional Work: NX500’s RAW workflow support, exposure control, and lens variety make it the only candidate here.

Final Performance Ratings and Value Assessment

After exhaustive testing, here’s a consolidated overview:

• Ricoh WG-6: A solid 6.5/10 on imaging performance, but excellent 9/10 on durability and outdoor capabilities.
• Samsung NX500: Scores 8.5/10 on image quality and versatility, but 5/10 on ruggedness and travel practicality.

The WG-6 retails at around $270, offering robust waterproof performance at an affordable price. In contrast, the NX500 fetched approximately $800 at launch, positioning it as a mid-level mirrorless platform with a comprehensive lens lineup.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Choose Ricoh WG-6 if:

• You need a tough camera for extreme environments - snorkeling, hiking, climbing, or risky outdoor reportage.
• You prioritize waterproofing and shockproof design.
• Portability and quick operation under tough conditions trump image quality finesse.
• You shoot mostly JPEGs for casual use or social sharing.
• Budget constraints limit spending under $300.

Opt for Samsung NX500 if:

• You seek an entry-level mirrorless with professional features and expandability.
• Image quality, RAW support, and post-processing flexibility matter.
• You want to explore diverse genres - portraits, landscapes, street, wildlife - without switching platforms.
• You are comfortable carrying extra lenses and forego weather sealing.
• Your budget permits a higher price and ongoing lens investments.

Conclusion: Two Cameras, Two Worlds

The Ricoh WG-6 and Samsung NX500 inhabit different photographic universes. I would not recommend one to replace the other, but rather choose based on your priorities.

The WG-6 is a rugged digital Swiss Army knife that never complains, a trustworthy companion in the wild. The NX500 is a creative powerhouse with a sensor and lens variety that invites artistic experimentation.

Ultimately, the choice hinges on whether your photography goals demand versatility and cutting-edge imaging or resilience and simplicity under adventure conditions.

I hope this comparative analysis helps you weigh these options carefully and aligns your purchase with your photographic journey.

Happy shooting!

If you want to see some sample photos from both cameras capturing diverse scenarios, take a look at this gallery below:

Ricoh WG 6 front Ricoh WG 6 screen back Samsung NX500 front Samsung NX500 screen back