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Ricoh WG-20

 
Ricoh WG-20 front
 
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Digital Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-140mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
  • 164g - 114 x 58 x 28mm
  • Introduced February 2014
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
93
Imaging
39
Features
36
Overall
37

Ricoh WG-20 overview

Ricoh WG-20 is Ricoh's Waterproof camera first launched on February of 2014. It has got a 14 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" size sensor with a maximum resolution of 4288 x 3216.

The WG-20 places at #37 out of 75 in Waterproof cameras & all round #818 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. Remember to test our Advanced camera finder to get camera results based on your custom requirements.

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Below is a chart of different criteria used in the scoring system.

Ricoh WG-20 family

The Ricoh WG-20 has a history of related cameras. Down below, you can find all previous and brand new models alongside key specs.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Ricoh-WG-80 front thumbnailRicoh WG-80
WG-20 vs WG-80
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2022
Ricoh-WG-70 front thumbnailRicoh WG-70
WG-20 vs WG-70
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2020
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Ricoh-WG-6 front thumbnailRicoh WG-6
WG-20 vs WG-6
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
20MP1/2.3"2018
Ricoh-WG-50 front thumbnailRicoh WG-50
WG-20 vs WG-50
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2017
Ricoh-WG-5-GPS front thumbnailRicoh WG-5 GPS
WG-20 vs WG-5 GPS
25-100mm
F2.0-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2015
Ricoh-WG-30W front thumbnailRicoh WG-30W
WG-20 vs WG-30W
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2014
OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus
Ricoh-WG-30 front thumbnailRicoh WG-30
WG-20 vs WG-30
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-M1 front thumbnailRicoh WG-M1
WG-20 vs WG-M1
(1×)mm
F2.8
14MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-4-GPS front thumbnailRicoh WG-4 GPS
WG-20 vs WG-4 GPS
25-100mm
F2.0-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-4 front thumbnailRicoh WG-4
WG-20 vs WG-4
25-100mm
F2.0-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-20 front thumbnailRicoh WG-2028-140mm
F3.5-5.5
14MP1/2.3"2014
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Ricoh WG-20 Pros and Cons

Here is a shortlist of advantages and disadvantages of the Ricoh WG-20 based on aspects that are typically viewed as crucial in a camera.

built-in flash
decently wide (28mm)
focusing manually
good megapixels (14 megapixels)
good min ISO (80)
good zoom range (28-140mm 5.0 x zoom)
has HDMI support
image stabilization (Digital)
offers face detect autofocus
offers tracking focus
weather proofing
can't change lens (fixed lens mount)
doesn't feature selfie friendly display
external flash not possible
fixed screen
low quality video (1280 x 720 pxls)
low resolution screen (230 thousand dot)
max fps low (1.0 frames/s)
max zoom aperture not good (f5.5)
no aperture priority mode
no headphone jack
no manual control
no microphone jack
no phase detect autofocus
no RAW support
no shutter priority mode
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
tiny screen (2.7 inch)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
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Ricoh WG-20 Sensor specs

The sensor size in the Ricoh WG-20 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to resolve 4288 x 3216 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Digital). In body stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter can produce cropping.

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The CCD sensor has 14 megapixels and provides a native ISO range of 80 - 6400. Unfortunately, RAW format is not saved which means that the user has less margin for error.

The picture below shows the WG-20's sensor size when compared to other common sizes. The WG-20 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is pointed out in green.

Ricoh WG-20 sensor size Europe Approves Revolutionary AI Legislation

To get a sense of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Ricoh WG-20 dimensions

Ricoh WG-20 is 0.36 pounds (164g / 5.78 oz) & has outside measurements of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1"). The weight of normal Waterproof camera is 195g so the Ricoh WG-20 is lighter compared to various rivals.

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Below is a visual of the Ricoh WG-20 alongside a softdrink so you can get a sense of its size.

Ricoh WG-20 dimensions scale

The top view below will show you the button arrangement on the WG-20.

Ricoh WG-20 topview buttons dials

Ricoh WG-20 Lens details

The WG-20 comes with a built-in lens giving a focal range of 28-140mm making it a 5.0 x zoom which won't be amazing but it might be very helpful in a few circumstances.

At it's widest 28mm, the lens has an aperture of f3.5 and that is kind of sluggish and not good for low light events and you will likely find it hard to get good bokeh. You will likely also have to boost your ISO setting which results in noisy pictures. Towards the long end, 140mm comes with f5.5 which is pretty slow and you might have to utilize slow shutter speeds.

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Ricoh WG-20 Connectivity

The WG-20 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that have NFC or Bluetooth compatibility are able to be used wirelessly through smartphones. You can copy photos and usually change settings with no need to connect straight with the camera.

Several apps also provide a Liveview and click the shutter in case you aren't near the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI port, it can easily be hooked up to an external monitor. A lot of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery with the USB socket.

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Ricoh WG-20 Video details

The maximum video resolution in the Ricoh WG-20 is 1280 x 720 and you can save in Motion JPEG format. 720p is terrible for today's standards. You should target at least FUll HD resolution for good video. The body doesn't feature a microphone or headphone socket which means you have got zero control over the sound. It is perhaps best to purchase another camera should you want better sound for your video clips.

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Ricoh WG-20 Weather Sealing

Ricoh WG-20 has weather sealing making it a very good choice for use in tough places. This is particularly useful whenever you are unsure about the elements you may face in outdoor photography.

Ricoh WG-20 Display and Viewfinder

The Ricoh WG-20 has got a 2.7 inch fixed display screen with a resolution of 230 thousand dots.

Please note that the display has no touch support.

Ricoh WG-20 screen and viewfinder Kodak's Tri-X Black-and-White Film Now 30% Cheaper

The View Finder specs for Ricoh WG-20 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

For bright outdoor situations that make the camera screens washed out and tough to see, viewfinders will be quite helpful.

Ricoh WG-20 Shutter details

Ricoh WG-20 continuous shooting speed is 1.0 frames/s. The maximum shutter speed is 1/1500s.

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Ricoh WG-20 Flash and Hot shoe details

Ricoh WG-20 has just built-in flash with no external flash ability.

Ricoh WG-20 Autofocus details

Ricoh WG-20 has only Contrast Based Autofocus & doesn't have Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot quicker & accurate compared to Contrast Based focusing. The camera has got Face detect which is handy for portraits.

It has got 9 focus points to pick from. It also has Tracking Autofocus for subjects on the move. Ricoh WG-20 can use manual focusing in case it is required in low light conditions or you require more exact focusing control.

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Ricoh WG-20 Battery life

The battery (D-LI92) in the Ricoh WG-20 is made to last for 260 pictures according to the CIPA benchmarks which is on par with it's competition. The general Waterproof camera battery life is 275. Olympus TG-4 has the highest possible (380) battery life in this range of cameras.

Following is a collection of Waterproof cameras having the strongest battery life:

Ricoh WG-20 for different types of photography

The following chart shows a overview of the Ricoh WG-20 for different types of photography. To find out more, have a look at the specific section below.

Ricoh WG-20 as a Portrait photography camera

The Ricoh WG-20 receives a points tally of 40 which is really bad, meaning that it is just not suitable to use for portrait images. Shooting portrait images favors heavily to sensor dimension, RAW support together with the capability to work with external lighting.

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focusing manually
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
provides face detection focus
manual exposure not available
external flash not possible
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
no RAW format

Ricoh WG-20 Street photography advice

With a very good rating of 62, the Ricoh WG-20 is a respectable option to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera features a perfect balance of picture quality and portability.

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image stabilization (Digital)
environment proofing
no articulating screen
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files

Ricoh WG-20 Sports photography highlights

A really bad sports photography points tally of 44 indicates the Ricoh WG-20 is just not suitable for taking pictures of sports. A camera must have great focusing and continuous shooting for sports photography.

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image stabilization (Digital)
megapixel count good (14MP)
has tracking focus
environment proof
max frames per second very slow (1.0 fps)
no shutter priority
very small sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect auto focus

Ricoh WG-20 Travel photography features

Portability is extremely critical when selecting a camera for travel. Overall, the Ricoh WG-20 gets a nice 71 as a travelling camera which is a fine choice to buy for your travels.

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environment sealing
sensor resolution is decent (14MP)
built-in flash
really wide (28mm)
screen is not selfie friendly
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)

Landscape photography with Ricoh WG-20

If you are planning to pick a camera for landscape photos, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Ricoh WG-20 and it's average rating of 47 as a landscape camera is reasonably adequate within the current market.

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you can focus manually
relatively wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Digital)
good megapixels (14MP)
environment proof
can't swap lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.5)
tiny screen (2.7 inches)
no manual mode
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format

Ricoh WG-20 as a Vlogging camera

A camera for vlogging preferably should posses a moving display screen, microphone input and ideally IBIS. Considering all things, the Ricoh WG-20 is just not suitable for vlogging as it delivers a really bad rating of 31.

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pretty wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Digital)
offers face detection focus
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen is not selfie friendly
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
lack of external mic support

Ricoh WG-20 Alternatives

If you are shopping for alternatives to the WG-20, below is a number of the top ranked cameras that fall within the category of Waterproof.

The line chart just below provides you a summary of the WG-20 compared to it's top ranked rivals suggested earlier.

Following are several cameras you may look into as alternatives. To read a thorough comparison, visit the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand Name
Ricoh
Model type
Ricoh WG-20
Category
Waterproof
Introduced
2014-02-05
Body design
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
14 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution
4288 x 3216
RAW format
Highest native ISO
6400
Min native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Total focus points
9
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
28-140mm (5.0x)
Highest aperture
f/3.5-5.5
Macro focusing distance
1cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Range of display
Fixed Type
Display sizing
2.7 inch
Display resolution
230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Display tech
TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Slowest shutter speed
4 secs
Maximum shutter speed
1/1500 secs
Continuous shooting speed
1.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
4.00 m (Auto ISO)
Flash modes
Auto, flash off, flash on, auto + redeye
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1280 x 720 (30p, 15p), 640 x 480 (30p, 15p), 320 x 240 (30p, 15p)
Highest video resolution
1280x720
Video format
Motion JPEG
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
164g (0.36 lb)
Physical dimensions
114 x 58 x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1")
Other
Battery life
260 photos
Battery format
Battery Pack
Battery ID
D-LI92
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC, internal
Storage slots
Single
Retail pricing
$370