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Ricoh WG-30

 
Ricoh WG-30 front
 
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • Digital Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 28-140mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
  • 192g - 123 x 62 x 30mm
  • Announced October 2014
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
91
Imaging
40
Features
34
Overall
37

Ricoh WG-30 summary

Ricoh WG-30 is Ricoh's Waterproof camera originally launched on October of 2014. The camera houses a 16MP, CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4608 x 3456.

The WG-30 places at #33 out of 75 in Waterproof cameras & over all #807 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. Please try out our Advanced camera search to find camera ratings based on your customized requirements.

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Below is a chart of different factors used in the rating system.

Ricoh WG-30 family

The Ricoh WG-30 has a history of related digital cameras. Down below, you can find all previous and more recent models along with key features.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Ricoh-WG-80 front thumbnailRicoh WG-80
WG-30 vs WG-80
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2022
Ricoh-WG-70 front thumbnailRicoh WG-70
WG-30 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-30 vs WG-6
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
20MP1/2.3"2018
Ricoh-WG-50 front thumbnailRicoh WG-50
WG-30 vs WG-50
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2017
Ricoh-WG-5-GPS front thumbnailRicoh WG-5 GPS
WG-30 vs WG-5 GPS
25-100mm
F2.0-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2015
Ricoh-WG-30W front thumbnailRicoh WG-30W
WG-30 vs WG-30W
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2014
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Ricoh-WG-30 front thumbnailRicoh WG-3028-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-M1 front thumbnailRicoh WG-M1
WG-30 vs WG-M1
(1×)mm
F2.8
14MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-4-GPS front thumbnailRicoh WG-4 GPS
WG-30 vs WG-4 GPS
25-100mm
F2.0-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-4 front thumbnailRicoh WG-4
WG-30 vs WG-4
25-100mm
F2.0-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-20 front thumbnailRicoh WG-20
WG-30 vs WG-20
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
14MP1/2.3"2014
Photography Glossary

Ricoh WG-30 Pros and Cons

Below is a checklist of advantages and disadvantages of the Ricoh WG-30 based on criterias that are oftentimes regarded as useful in a camera.

built-in flash
environment proofing
good zoom range (28-140mm 5.0 x zoom)
has HDMI out
has image stabilization (Digital)
high video quality (1920 x 1080 resolution)
megapixel count good (16MP)
provides face detect autofocus
provides tracking focus
quite wide (28mm)
can't switch lens (fixed lens mount)
can't use external flash
does not posses selfie friendly display
focusing manually not possible
lack of headphone support
lack of mic support
lack of phase detect autofocus
lack of RAW support
low resolution screen (230 k dots)
manual exposure not possible
max zoom aperture not good (f5.5)
no aperture priority
no articulating screen
no shutter priority
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
slow fps (1.0 frames per second)
small screen (2.7 inch)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Ricoh WG-30 Sensor details

The sensor measurement on the Ricoh WG-30 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor can capture 4608 x 3456 pixels at aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Digital). In body stabilization is more effective than digital stabilization since the latter can cause cropping.

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The CMOS sensor has 16MP and delivers a native ISO range of 125 to 6400. Unfortunately, RAW photos are not saved so the user has less room to maneuver in post.

The graphic below displays the WG-30's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The WG-30 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is shown in green.

Ricoh WG-30 sensor size Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

To get an understanding of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Ricoh WG-30 dimensions

Ricoh WG-30 weighs around 0.42 pounds (192g or 6.77 oz) & has outer proportions of 123mm x 62mm x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2"). The weight of average Waterproof camera is 195g and the Ricoh WG-30 is similar as compared with various competitors.

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Below is a pic of the Ricoh WG-30 next to a soft drink to help you to get a sense of its scale.

Ricoh WG-30 dimensions scale

The top view here will illustrate the button arrangement on the WG-30.

Ricoh WG-30 topview buttons dials

Ricoh WG-30 Lens specs

The WG-30 houses an inbuilt lens and a focal range of 28-140mm making it a 5.0 x zoom which is not very good however it will be handy in some scenarios.

At the widest 28mm, it has an aperture of f3.5 making it quite slow and not good for low light situations and you will likely find it difficult to get a shallow depth of field. You will probably also need to raise the ISO which causes noisy photographs. At the tele end, 140mm comes with f5.5 which is really slow and you might need to utilize slow shutter speeds.

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Ricoh WG-30 Connectivity

The WG-30 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that incorporate NFC and / or Bluetooth support can be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You are able to copy pictures and in some cases adjust camera settings without the hassle of connecting straight to the camera.

A few applications even stream a Liveview and release the shutter when you are not near the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI port, it can be hooked up to an external screen. Nearly all cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Ricoh WG-30 Video specs

The highest possible video quality on the Ricoh WG-30 is 1920 x 1080 and you can capture in H.264 format. 1080p quality offers a decent balance for quality vs file sizes but 1080p is not going to leave you with any room to crop. The camera does not offer a microphone and / or headphone port so you get no control over the sound. It is perhaps best to take a look at another camera should you want better sound for your video clips.

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Ricoh WG-30 Weather Sealing

Ricoh WG-30 features environment proofing which makes it a good selection for use for tough conditions. This can be especially handy whenever you are uncertain about the conditions you may face for outdoor photography.

Ricoh WG-30 Display and Viewfinder

The Ricoh WG-30 is equipped with a 2.7" fixed display boasting a resolution of 230k dots.

Please be aware that the display screen has no touch support.

Ricoh WG-30 screen and viewfinder Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The ViewFinder details for Ricoh WG-30 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

For bright outdoor conditions which make the camera displays washed out and tricky to see, viewfinders will be pretty useful.

Ricoh WG-30 Shutter specs

Ricoh WG-30 continuous shooting speed is 1.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/4000 seconds.

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Ricoh WG-30 Flash and Hot shoe specs

Ricoh WG-30 has only built in flash without external flash support.

Ricoh WG-30 Autofocus specs

Ricoh WG-30 has just Contrast Based Auto Focus & doesn't have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot snappier and exact compared with Contrast Based focusing. The camera supports Face detect making it handy for portraits.

It supports 9 focus points to pick from. It also boasts Tracking Auto Focus for moving subjects. Ricoh WG-30 has no manual focusing. Manual focusing option can be useful for low light situations or you require more precise depth of field control.

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Ricoh WG-30 Battery life

The battery life (D-LI92) in the Ricoh WG-30 is built to last for 300 images with respect to the CIPA benchmarks which is similar to it's rivals. The average Waterproof camera battery life is 275. Olympus TG-4 comes with the best (380) battery life for this category of cameras.

Following is a number of Waterproof cameras which have the best battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Photography Glossary

Ricoh WG-30 for different types of photography

The following graph provides a rundown of the Ricoh WG-30 for different types of photography. To read more, browse to the specific section below.

Ricoh WG-30 as a Portrait photography camera

The Ricoh WG-30 gets a rating of 35 which is terrible, and means the camera is just not good for portrait images. Taking portraits favors greatly towards sensor resolution, RAW support along with the flexibility to work with external flash.

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MP count decent (16 megapixels)
supports face detect autofocus
focusing manually not possible
lack of manual mode
cannot use external flash
small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format

Ricoh WG-30 Street photography info

Coming in at a above average points tally of 61, the Ricoh WG-30 is a good option for street photography. A very good street photography camera features a fine balance of picture quality and portability.

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image stabilization (Digital)
weather proofing
no moving screen
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files

Ricoh WG-30 Sports photography features

A terrible sports photography points total of 45 means the Ricoh WG-30 is just not good for shooting sports. A camera should have great tracking plus fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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built in image stabilization (Digital)
good resolution (16MP)
comes with tracking focus
environment proof
max fps low (1.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority mode
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect AF

Ricoh WG-30 as a Travel photography camera

Size is extremely crucial when buying a travel camera. All things considered, the Ricoh WG-30 gets a very good 71 as a travel camera which is a very decent option to take with you on your trips.

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weather proofing
megapixel count good (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
quite wide (28mm)
display is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.5)

Ricoh WG-30 Landscape photography info

In case you're planning to purchase a digital camera for landscape photos, the biggest factor will be image quality. The Ricoh WG-30 with it's terrible grade of 43 for a landscape camera is just not good in the current marketplace.

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rather wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Digital)
sensor resolution is decent (16MP)
environment sealing
lack of manual focus
can't swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen is small (2.7 inches)
no manual mode
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files

Vlogging with Ricoh WG-30

A vlogging camera ought to posses a articulating screen, mic input and if possible IBIS. Taking everything in to account, the Ricoh WG-30 is just not good as a vlog camera as it delivers a terrible score of 33.

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fairly wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Digital)
provides face detect focusing
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
slow max aperture (f3.5)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
lack of mic support

Ricoh WG-30 Alternatives

If you are trying to find replacements to the WG-30, below is a number of the highest scored cameras which fall within the class of Waterproof.

The diagram here offers you a summary of the WG-30 compared to it's highest scored rivals mentioned above.

Following are additional cameras you might see as alternatives. To read through a comprehensive comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand Name
Ricoh
Model type
Ricoh WG-30
Type
Waterproof
Announced
2014-10-09
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3 and 16:9
Peak resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW images
Highest native ISO
6400
Minimum native ISO
125
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Total focus points
9
Lens
Lens mount type
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
28-140mm (5.0x)
Maximum aperture
f/3.5-5.5
Macro focusing distance
1cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display size
2.7 inch
Display resolution
230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
4 secs
Fastest shutter speed
1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter rate
1.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance
3.90 m (Auto ISO)
Flash options
Auto, flash off, flash on, auto + redeye
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (30p), 1280 x 720
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
H.264
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
192g (0.42 pounds)
Physical dimensions
123 x 62 x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2")
Other
Battery life
300 pictures
Type of battery
Battery Pack
Battery ID
D-LI92
Self timer
Yes
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC, internal
Card slots
1
Price at release
$428