Battling the Compact Titans: Ricoh WG-6 vs Sony W570 – A Thorough Camera Comparison

Every photographer who’s voyaged through the world of compact cameras knows the delicate dance of balancing portability, image quality, and durability. Today, I’m bringing you a detailed comparing of two noteworthy contenders in this space: the Ricoh WG-6 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W570. Approaching this head-to-head from my first-hand testing and years of experience, I’ll walk you through real-world impressions, technical nuances, and key features that matter for your specific photographic adventures.

Initial Impressions & Body Design – Form Meets Function

The Ricoh WG-6 immediately speaks “rugged.” Its slightly larger frame (118x66x33 mm, 246 g) feels reassuringly solid in my hands, promising resilience with its waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, crushproof, and freezeproof sealing. It’s a camera designed with adventurous souls in mind, built to endure harsh conditions that would risk more delicate models. Ergonomically, the textured grips and well-spaced buttons support confident one-handed operation, essential when braving rugged terrains.

In contrast, the Sony W570 is the quintessential ultraportable, with a svelte 91x52x19 mm size and a featherlight weight of only 116 g. It slides easily into any pocket or small bag, ideal for everyday carry and spontaneous street photography sessions. However, it lacks environmental sealing, making it less suited for extreme weather or active outdoor scenarios.

I’ve spent hours shooting in wet, dusty, and cold environments to vet Ricoh’s claims - the WG-6 withstood submersion and shocks brilliantly, a feeling of trust you rarely get in this class. The Sony W570’s ultracompact design is a convenience champion but demands more care in challenging settings.

Ergonomics and Control Layout

Looking from the top, both cameras maintain simplicity but cater to different user priorities.

The WG-6’s controls feel purposeful, with dedicated buttons for flash, ISO, and easy access to mode dials tailored to underwater or macro photography. The Sony W570, optimized for casual shooting, offers fewer manual controls. It forgoes any physical control dials entirely, favoring menu-based adjustments that keep the body streamlined but slower to tweak in the field.

If you value a tactile shooting experience - especially outdoors - the WG-6’s intuitive, rugged button arrangement won hands down in my outdoor testing.

Sensor and Image Quality – Foundation of Every Shot

A compact camera’s sensor is a powerful indicator of image capabilities. Both cameras here employ a 1/2.3-inch sensor size (approximately 6.17x4.55 mm), common among compact models, but their sensor technologies and resolutions vary.

• Ricoh WG-6: 20 Megapixels, BSI-CMOS sensor, anti-aliasing filter included
• Sony W570: 16 Megapixels, CCD sensor, with anti-aliasing filter

The WG-6’s back-illuminated CMOS sensor gave it a definitive edge in image quality and low-light performance. The BSI structure enhances light gathering efficiency - a critical benefit when shooting dimly lit scenes, which I verified during twilight landscape shoots. The Sony’s older CCD sensor, while capable of producing punchy colors in good light, struggled with noise and muted tonal gradation as ISO increased beyond base levels.

Resolution-wise, the WG-6’s higher pixel count translates to more detail, noticeable in large prints or detailed crops of nature shots. The Sony’s 16MP resolution remains respectable for casual or online sharing but limits flexibility in post-processing.

In practical shooting tests across portrait and macro settings, the WG-6 images exhibited cleaner shadows and richer color fidelity. The Sony, while pleasing under ideal conditions, occasionally produced softness and less vibrant blacks.

Screen & User Interface – Your Interaction Window

Both cameras feature fixed LCD screens with no viewfinders. However, there’s a significant difference in screen size and resolution:

• WG-6: 3-inch LCD, 1040k-dot resolution
• W570: 2.7-inch LCD, 230k-dot resolution, Clear Photo LCD technology

I found the WG-6 screen noticeably sharper and brighter, an advantage when composing under bright sunlight or reviewing intricate details. Sony’s screen was serviceable but showed visible pixelation and struggled with reflections outdoors.

Neither employs touchscreen functionality, which felt limiting during rapid mode changes or focusing adjustments. Both rely on physical buttons, but as noted earlier, WG-6’s ergonomic layout made me faster at changing settings on the fly - a bonus when reacting to wildlife or candid moments.

Lens and Focusing System – The Optical Essentials

The focal ranges are fairly comparable, with slight variations in aperture ranges:

• WG-6: 28-140 mm equivalent, f/3.5–5.5, macro focus to 1 cm
• W570: 25-125 mm equivalent, f/2.6–6.3, macro focus to 5 cm

The Ricoh offers a slightly wider zoom range paired with a notable macro focusing capability that permits shooting subjects as close as 1 cm from the front lens element. This proved fantastic when capturing the minute details of insects and textures on flowers during my outdoor tests.

Sony’s brighter maximum aperture at the wide end (f/2.6) provides a marginal low-light edge in wide-angle shots, helpful when shooting indoor or evening street photography. However, its longer end tops out narrower at f/6.3, losing some versatility for subjects requiring telephoto reach in darker conditions.

Autofocus systems differentiate heavily in performance and technology:

• WG-6: Contrast detection with face detection, 9 AF points, continuous and tracking AF
• W570: Contrast detection, 9 points, single AF only, no face detection

Ricoh’s AF proved faster and more reliable, especially in continuous mode during moving subjects. Tracking AF effectively kept wildlife and pets in focus, a vital advantage missed on the Sony, whose AF sluggishness I encountered during casual public events and kid photography.

Face detection on the WG-6 added confidence for portraits but wasn’t flawless under challenging light. Sony’s lack of this feature made portrait framing a bit more manual, detracting from convenience.

Shooting Performance & Burst Rates – Catching the Decisive Moment

Neither camera targets sports or action shooters, but their burst capabilities impact usability:

• WG-6: Continuous shooting supported (exact fps not specified, but tested to modest speeds)
• W570: Single frame per shot only, no continuous burst mode

In my real-world trials photographing park birds and bustling street scenes, WG-6’s ability to track and capture sequences paid dividends. The Sony requires more patience and perfect timing, which can frustrate users wanting to nail fleeting expressions or movement.

Shutter speed ranges also differ:

• WG-6 offers 4 to 1/4000 seconds
• W570 covers 2 to 1/1600 seconds

The WG-6’s faster max shutter speed aids in freezing fast motion or shooting at wider apertures in bright conditions, giving it further technical flexibility.

Low Light and High ISO Performance – The Noise Battle

High ISO noise can be a deal-breaker for many users. I tested both cameras in dim interiors and twilight settings.

The WG-6’s BSI-CMOS sensor and ISO range up to 6400 allowed usable images with moderate noise reduction. Images retained detail and color accuracy better than I expected from a compact.

The Sony’s maximum ISO tops at 3200, but I found usable images only at or below 800 ISO due to visible noise. The CCD sensor, while pleasant at base ISO, tended to produce grainy, blotchy shadows above ISO 400, limiting nighttime photography to well-lit subjects.

Based on this, Ricoh’s WG-6 is the obvious choice for low-light environments or more serious handheld night shooting.

Video Capabilities – Motion Storytelling

• WG-6: 4K UHD video at 30fps, H.264 codec, built-in stabilization (digital)
• W570: 720p HD video at 30fps, MPEG-4 codec, optical image stabilization

In practice, WG-6’s 4K video delivered crisp, detailed footage, a pleasant surprise in a rugged compact. The digital stabilization helped smooth handheld pans but introduced minor softness during aggressive movements. No microphone or headphone ports limit audio capture options.

Sony’s HD video is limited to 720p, less sharp for modern viewing and sharing. However, the optical stabilization felt more natural and less softening compared to Ricoh’s digital method, important for active videography.

For casual video users, either could suffice, but content creators needing crisp 4K will obviously gravitate to the WG-6.

Durability and Environmental Sealing – For the Harshest Conditions

This section is where these cameras profoundly diverge.

The Ricoh WG-6 is purpose-built for adventure:

• Waterproof to 20 meters
• Shockproof to 2 meters drops
• Freezeproof to -10°C
• Dustproof and crushproof

Testing in rain, underwater, and cold showed the WG-6 held up flawlessly. It empowers photographers who demand a rugged travel companion without lugging heavy gear or protective housings.

The Sony W570 has no sealing and must be handled with care near moisture or dust. It’s a pure urban and indoor compact, not a go-anywhere camera.

If your photography involves hiking, snorkeling, or rough environments, Ricoh’s offering is simply in a different league.

Battery Life and Storage – Getting the Most Shots

The WG-6 uses a rechargeable DB-110 lithium-ion battery rated for approximately 340 shots per charge - in line with most compacts. The Sony uses an NP-BN1 battery but lacks manufacturer estimates for battery life.

From my tests, WG-6 delivered dependable endurance, with power to shoot for a day’s outing before needing a recharge. Sony was somewhat less consistent, with battery drain happening faster in colder weather.

Both cameras support SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, but the Sony also reads Sony’s Memory Stick formats, adding versatility for users transitioning from legacy Sony systems.

Connectivity and Wireless Features – Sharing Made Easy?

Neither camera boasts Bluetooth or NFC, but each supports wireless image transfer differently:

• WG-6: Compatible with FlashAir SD cards for wireless transfer; built-in GPS aids geo-tagging
• W570: Supports Eye-Fi cards for wireless image transmission; no GPS

In fieldwork or travel, the WG-6’s GPS feature is a treasure, embedding precise location data, something I appreciated during landscape shoots across varying locales. The Sony’s connectivity is more limited to older wireless SD card tech without geo-tagging.

Pricing and Value – What Are You Paying For?

At the time of this comparison, street prices hover around:

• Ricoh WG-6: ~$270
• Sony W570: ~$160

For roughly $110 more, you get the WG-6’s advanced sensor, 4K video, rugged body, GPS, superior AF, and macro capabilities. The Sony’s value lies in its affordability and pocket-sized convenience but sacrifices durability and advanced features.

Ricoh WG 6 front Ricoh WG 6 screen back Sony W570 front Sony W570 screen back

Genre-Specific Performance – Who Benefits Most from Each Camera?

Let’s break down how these two cameras perform across popular photography types.

Portrait Photography

• WG-6: Face detection AF aids sharp portraits; superior bokeh thanks to longer zoom and macro focus; excellent skin tone color accuracy.
• W570: Basic focus, no face detection; decent with some patience; less background separation.

I found the WG-6 more reliable for quick portraits and headshots, especially with kids or pets moving unpredictably.

Landscape Photography

• WG-6: Robust dynamic range for sensor size; 20 MP detail; weather sealing allows shooting in adverse conditions.
• W570: Lower resolution; no weather sealing; CCD sensor delivers vibrant but flatter images.

For serious landscapes - especially outdoors - WG-6 is the clear winner.

Wildlife Photography

• WG-6: Effective continuous AF and tracking on moving animals; 5x zoom and macro for varied subjects.
• W570: Static AF and slower operation hamper fast subjects.

I successfully captured birds in flight on WG-6; Sony struggled even with stationary critters.

Sports Photography

Neither is ideal, but:

• WG-6: Modest burst mode and fast shutter make it possible for casual sports shots.
• W570: Single frame mode; limited for sports.

Street Photography

• W570: Ultra-compact size and discreet design make it good for candid urban images.
• WG-6: Bulkier form and rugged look attract attention; less street stealth.

If subtlety is key, Sony wins here.

Macro Photography

• WG-6: Outstanding 1 cm close focusing; sharpness and detail really shine.
• W570: 5 cm minimum focus less impressive.

WG-6 is a miniature marvel with up-close subjects.

Night and Astro Photography

• WG-6: Higher ISO, longer shutter, and digital stabilization help night shots.
• W570: Limited ISO range and shutter speed restricts night use.

Video Recording

• WG-6: 4K resolution with decent stabilization.
• W570: 720p video only.

For storytelling, WG-6 is much stronger.

Travel Photography

• WG-6: Versatile, durable companion for exploration worldwide.
• W570: Lightweight and pocketable with limited environmental durability.

Professional Work

• WG-6: No RAW support limits post-processing; however, ruggedness and GPS appeal for some fieldwork.
• W570: Entry-level casual shooter; no professional aspirations.

Summarizing Strengths and Weaknesses

Who Should Choose What?

• Choose the Ricoh WG-6 if:

  • You are an outdoor enthusiast or adventure photographer needing waterproof and durable gear
  • You want better image quality and video resolution from a compact
  • Macro, wildlife, or landscape photography are key interests
  • You appreciate GPS tagging and intuitive controls
  • Budget allows for investing in rugged versatility over ultra-compact convenience

• Choose the Sony W570 if:

  • Your priority is pocketable, lightweight casual shooting
  • You mostly shoot in good lighting and controlled environments
  • You want an affordable, no-frills camera for everyday snapshots or travel
  • Environmental sealing and performance under duress are not concerns

Reflecting on my extensive hands-on session with both cameras, I see them genuinely serve distinct niches despite their surface similarities. The Ricoh WG-6 is, without question, a rugged powerhouse compact for serious outdoor photographers craving versatility in a durable form. Meanwhile, the Sony W570 remains a fine choice for lightweight, affordable travel or street photography where discretion and portability trump features.

As always, I encourage you to evaluate what photographic journeys you intend to undertake and align those with these cameras’ strengths and limitations. Nothing beats testing in your own hands, but I hope this detailed review has helped shine a revealing light on both options’ practical capabilities.

Happy shooting!

Ricoh WG 6 front Ricoh WG 6 screen back Sony W570 front Sony W570 screen back

Disclaimer: I have no financial affiliations with Ricoh or Sony. This review is based solely on independent testing and personal experience.