Ricoh WG-M1 vs Sony RX100: A Deep Dive Into Two Distinct Compact Cameras

When it comes to compact cameras, the choices can feel bewildering - especially when faced with two devices as different as the Ricoh WG-M1 and the Sony RX100. Both announced in the early-to-mid 2010s, they occupy very different niches and priorities, yet both appeal to photographers seeking pocketable solutions for their photography adventures. Having tested thousands of cameras over 15+ years, I’m well placed to unpack what makes these two cameras tick, and ultimately, which one suits your shooting style and demands.

Through this detailed, 2500-word comparison, I’ll guide you through the technical heart of each camera, their practical everyday use cases, and how they each perform across major photography disciplines from portraits to wildlife, street to travel. Along the way, I’ll be integrating seven carefully chosen images to illustrate key points and help your decision-making process.

Let’s begin with a quick glance at their physical presence.

First Impressions: Form Factor and Handling

Examining the Ricoh WG-M1 and Sony RX100 side-by-side instantly conveys their different DNA. The WG-M1 is a rugged, waterproof action-style compact with a squat and blocky form, measuring just 66 × 43 × 89 mm, and weighing a mere 190 grams. It practically dares you to take it bashing through dirt, rain, and underwater environments. Its inflexible, utilitarian shape doesn’t win points for elegance, but it’s built with a purpose - to survive tough conditions without flinching.

Contrast this with the RX100, a sleeker, more traditionally shaped large sensor compact with a larger footprint of 102 × 58 × 36 mm and weighing 240 grams. The Sony’s refined magnesium alloy body feels far more premium in hand, with thoughtful contours allowing extended comfortable handling for those serious about image quality and manual control.

This size and weight difference is not trivial; it directly impacts user preference, portability, and even shooting style (more on that in later sections).

The ergonomics extend beyond size. The RX100’s control layout is sophisticated and customizable, catering to experienced photographers who want quick access to shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and focus modes. The WG-M1, on the other hand, keeps controls basic and waterproof - that’s part of the compromise. Let’s have a closer look from above to see how each camera handles command and interface.

The RX100 features dedicated dials and buttons optimized for responsive manual adjustments. The WG-M1’s top panel carries just a shutter and power button - simplicity and ruggedness take precedence over granular control.

The Sensor Showdown: Image Quality and Resolution Insights

Any seasoned photographer knows the sensor is the beating heart of a camera’s image quality. The Sony RX100 sports a 1-inch CMOS sensor measuring 13.2×8.8 mm, offering 20 megapixels of resolution - a substantial step up in sensor area and pixel count compared to the Ricoh WG-M1’s 1/2.3" CMOS sensor with 14 megapixels packed into a much smaller 6.17×4.55 mm chip.

Why does this matter? Larger sensor sizes generally translate to better image quality - improved dynamic range, richer color depth, and superior performance in low light due to larger photosites and more capacity to gather photons. DxOMark’s tests corroborate this, with the RX100 boasting a color depth score of 22.6 bits and dynamic range of 12.4 EV, while the WG-M1 has gone untested by DxO but clearly won’t compete on the same level.

From my hands-on testing, the RX100’s images demonstrate noticeably cleaner shadows, better highlight roll-off, and smooth gradations in skin tones and landscapes. Meanwhile, the WG-M1’s smaller sensor size and less sophisticated processing pipeline mean images show more noise starting around ISO 400 and less dynamic range to rescue tricky exposure scenarios.

The choice here hinges on your priorities: ultra-durable action shooting or high-quality stills.

Live View and Display: The Window to Your Framing

Both cameras offer fixed LCD screens, with no electronic viewfinders available - important when considering shooting style. The RX100 features a sharp 3-inch 1229k-dot WhiteMagic TFT LCD. This larger, higher resolution screen affords detailed image review and in harsh daylight, the screen's brightness and contrast holds up well. For a compact lacking an EVF, the RX100’s display is impressive and essential for manual focusing and composing in detail.

Ricoh’s WG-M1 has a tiny 1.5-inch LCD with only 115k dots resolution - a very basic “breadcrumb trail” for composition and playback. It’s perfectly fine for quick framing, especially when you’re smashing through outdoor adventures where detailed review isn’t a priority. It sacrifices finesse for rugged simplicity.

Neither screen is touch-enabled, meaning navigation relies on physical buttons - again reflecting divergent philosophies. The RX100’s menus and settings are more complex, suiting its advanced user base.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Accuracy, and Intelligence

AF is an area where the two markedly diverge in capability and intended use.

The Sony RX100 employs a 25-point contrast-detection autofocus system enhanced by face detection and tracking. From experience, it locks focus quickly in good light, accurately tracks moving subjects when shooting sports or wildlife, and can molt a decent lock even in lower lighting. It also supports continuous AF modes, essential for unpredictable subjects.

The Ricoh WG-M1 has a more rudimentary contrast-detection AF without face detection, tracking, or continuous focus. In practice, this means slower AF lock, often hunting in low contrast or low light scenarios, which restricts its candid shooting capabilities. You’ll want to pre-focus or use its wide-angle fixed lens for static scenes.

For wildlife or sports where fast, accurate AF is non-negotiable, the RX100 clearly leads.

Lens Performance, Zoom Range, and Aperture

This category heavily influences shooting versatility and depth control.

The WG-M1 is equipped with a fixed 1× (approximate 5.8× crop factor applied to sensor 1/2.3") lens at a native maximum aperture of f/2.8. The focal length is effectively wide-angle, optimized for action shots, underwater shots, and providing a generous field of view. It does not zoom, nor does it offer variable apertures. Macro capability is minimal; this camera is not designed for close-up precision.

The RX100 meanwhile provides a 28–100mm equivalent (3.6× zoom) with a bright f/1.8–4.9 aperture range. This fast lens at wide angles is excellent for low-light portraits with natural bokeh and general-purpose shooting flexibility. The macro mode focusing down to 5cm is an asset for detailed close-ups. From my testing, image sharpness across the focal range remains very good, making it a true all-rounder in tight spaces or travel.

The RX100’s zoom and aperture augmented by its enhanced sensor create shallow depth-of-field portraits and strong subject isolation – virtues a fixed, waterproof action camera like the WG-M1 cannot compete with.

Speed Demands: Burst Rates and Shutter Performance

Both cameras advertise 10 frames per second (fps) continuous shooting - impressive in their respective classes.

Yet, speed is not only in FPS but responsiveness, buffer depth, and operational latency.

The RX100 features a max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec and includes aperture and shutter priority modes, allowing precise exposure control even with fast-moving subjects. Its buffer can sustain several frames at 10 fps before slowing, suitable for capturing fleeting moments precisely. Also, manual exposure allows creative latitude.

The WG-M1 lacks adjustable shutter speed, aperture priority, or manual exposure modes, limiting creative control over bright or complex lighting. Its continuous shooting is also fixed, with no burst rate adjustments.

Sports and wildlife shooters would benefit strongly from the RX100’s manual control arsenal and faster, more reliable burst capability.

Durability and Environmental Sealing: Ready for Adventure?

![Durability and build quality discussion - image not specified but implied]

Where the Ricoh WG-M1 absolutely shines is environmental resilience. It boasts full waterproofing, shockproofing, and dust resistance - making it perfect for dive trips, snowboarding, or extreme hiking. Tests in rough conditions confirm it withstands drops, splashes, and submersion up to 10 meters. This is a camera built for reckless adventure exploitation.

The Sony RX100 is not weather-sealed, designed instead for controlled environments. Though robust and solidly built, it will not tolerate rain, dust, or drops. Enthusiasts using it outdoors must take additional precautions.

There is no direct sensor size or image quality trade-off for durability here - it’s a fundamental design choice tethered to use case.

Battery Life and Storage Flexibility

Battery endurance is critical during travel or extended shooting - an area where both offer approximately 330–350 shots per charge under normal conditions.

The WG-M1 uses Ricoh’s proprietary DB-65 pack, while the RX100 is powered by the NP-BX1 battery. In my extended use, the RX100’s battery lasts slightly longer when shooting stills but drains faster in continuous video modes.

Memory-wise, WG-M1 supports microSD cards and internal storage, convenient for compact usage. The RX100 adopts SD/SDHC/SDXC along with Memory Stick Duo support, providing greater card options and faster write speeds that benefit RAW file saving and continuous burst shooting.

It's worth noting that the RX100 supports RAW files for more post-processing flexibility, unlike the WG-M1’s JPEG-only capture - a significant limitation for advanced users.

Connectivity and Interface: Wireless and Ports

Connectivity options often add convenience in on-the-go shooting.

The WG-M1 has basic built-in wireless options but lacks Bluetooth, NFC, or GPS. It does include HDMI and USB 2.0 ports, useful for wired transfer and display.

The RX100, an early adopter in its category, features NFC-enabled wireless transfers, HDMI, and USB 2.0 connectivity, plus compatibility with Eye-Fi cards for Wi-Fi transfers. This tech makes it easier to integrate into a mobile workflow, something I find invaluable during travel or events.

Video Shooting Capabilities: Who Wins the Moving Picture Game?

Both cameras record Full HD video but differ in bitrate, frame options, and features.

• WG-M1 offers 1080p at 30fps, 960p at 50fps, and 720p at 60/30fps, also capable of slow-motion at 848×480 (120fps). Video is compressed with H.264 but lacks microphone and headphone jacks. There's no in-body stabilization or advanced exposure controls during recording.

• RX100 steps up with 1080p at 60fps, along with 1440×1080 and 720p options, encoded in MPEG-4 or AVCHD. Optical image stabilization works well to smooth handheld footage. Despite lacking external audio jacks, the image quality and control options in video mode are far superior.

For casual adventure clips, the WG-M1’s waterproof form is perfect; for serious video work, the RX100 offers much more versatility.

Putting It All Together: Performance Scores and Specialized Use

To consolidate all these insights, take a look at the overall and genre-specific performance ratings based on my hands-on evaluations and DxOMark data where available.

The RX100 clearly dominates in image quality and autofocus across portraits, sports, street, and travel photography - the kinds of photography demanding precision and image fidelity. Conversely, the WG-M1 shines distinctly when waterproof durability and rugged field use come first: think underwater macro shots or snowboarders capturing their wild rides.

How They Shoot Across Photography Genres

Let’s break down how each camera performs in popular photography types, applying my extensive practical observations from real-world shooting:

Portrait Photography

• Sony RX100: Superb control over depth of field thanks to fast, variable aperture lens and larger sensor. Eye and face detection autofocus perform admirably, producing sharp skin tones with minimal noise. Ideal for natural light or available light portraits.

• Ricoh WG-M1: Limited bokeh due to fixed small aperture and sensor size. No face detection results in less precise focus. Better suited for action shots in wet or tough conditions than polished portraits.

Landscape Photography

• RX100's expanded dynamic range and 20MP resolution produce finely detailed landscapes with rich tonal gradations. The lens covers a useful wide end, but image stabilization is less critical here as tripods are common.

• WG-M1 captures wide scenes underwater or in rain but exhibits lesser resolution and dynamic range. No weather sealing beyond waterproofing limits desert or dusty trail use.

Wildlife and Sports

• The RX100’s rapid contrast-AF tracking and 10fps shooting make it surprisingly capable for casual wildlife. The zoom covers most needed focal lengths moderately well.

• WG-M1's slow AF and fixed lens limit action capture, though its ruggedness means it’s great for wet or harsh physical environments.

Street Photography

• RX100’s discreet size, fast lens, and silent shutter modes (to an extent) suit street photographers. The screen quality aids discreet framing.

• WG-M1 is bulkier and louder, not ideal for subtle shooting.

Macro Photography

• RX100’s 5cm macro focusing distance and excellent image fidelity produce crisp close-ups with good background separation.

• WG-M1 macro utility is limited and less precise.

Night and Astro Photography

• RX100’s larger sensor and top ISO performance allow for acceptable night shots with low noise up to ISO 1600–3200.

• WG-M1 max ISO 800 and simpler noise processing constraints limit low-light use.

Video Use

• WG-M1 is designed for rugged shooting, complementing action sports but with limited video features.

• RX100’s stabilized, full HD 60p video with better compression options appeals to enthusiasts wanting quality HD footage and manual exposure.

Travel Photography

• RX100's blend of quality, size, zoom range, and battery life make it an excellent travel compact.

• WG-M1 is niche, great for thrill-seeking adventures where camera damage is a risk.

Professional Applications

• Neither camera replaces pro-grade mirrorless or DSLR for ultimate quality but the RX100 can act as a capable backup or carry-everywhere device.

• WG-M1 is a specialty accessorial camera, valuable beside professional rigs in extreme conditions.

Verdict: Which Compact Camera Should You Choose?

To sum this up - and based on innumerable hours testing both in the lab and the field - here are my sharp, no-nonsense recommendations.

Final Thoughts: Ultimately, It’s About Your Style and Needs

No camera is perfect for every scenario. The Ricoh WG-M1 and Sony RX100 serve very different but equally valid purposes. I’ve found that photographers drawn to action sports or underwater shooting love the WG-M1’s zero-compromise durability and shooting simplicity. Those craving image quality, creative control, and a compact all-rounder will lean to the RX100.

If forced to pick one for a versatile, quality-focused compact, the Sony RX100 commands my endorsement every time. But the WG-M1 is a specialized tool worth its high price if your shooting habits demand a camera that thrives in environmental extremes.

Ricoh WG M1 front Sony RX100 front Sony RX100 screen back

With all these insights, I hope you’re equipped to make a confident choice tailored to your photographic journey. Whether you want to splash in the surf or capture the perfect sunset, understanding how your camera handles those moments is the first step toward great images.

Happy shooting!

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