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Ricoh WG-30W

 
Ricoh WG-30W 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
  • 194g - 123 x 62 x 30mm
  • Announced October 2014
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
91
Imaging
41
Features
34
Overall
38

Ricoh WG-30W summary

Ricoh WG-30W is Ricoh's Waterproof camera initially announced on October of 2014. The camera has a 16MP, CMOS 1/2.3" size sensor with a max resolution of 4608 x 3456.

The WG-30W places at #30 out of 75 in Waterproof cameras & over-all #768 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. You should try our Advanced camera filter to see camera ratings based on your custom factors.

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Here is a chart of various factors used in the rating system.

Ricoh WG-30W family

The Ricoh WG-30W has a history of related digital cameras. Listed below, you can find all previous and more recent models alongside main features.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Ricoh-WG-80 front thumbnailRicoh WG-80
WG-30W vs WG-80
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2022
Ricoh-WG-70 front thumbnailRicoh WG-70
WG-30W 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-30W vs WG-6
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
20MP1/2.3"2018
Ricoh-WG-50 front thumbnailRicoh WG-50
WG-30W vs WG-50
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2017
Ricoh-WG-5-GPS front thumbnailRicoh WG-5 GPS
WG-30W vs WG-5 GPS
25-100mm
F2.0-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2015
Ricoh-WG-30W front thumbnailRicoh WG-30W28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2014
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Ricoh-WG-30 front thumbnailRicoh WG-30
WG-30W vs WG-30
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-M1 front thumbnailRicoh WG-M1
WG-30W vs WG-M1
(1×)mm
F2.8
14MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-4-GPS front thumbnailRicoh WG-4 GPS
WG-30W vs WG-4 GPS
25-100mm
F2.0-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-4 front thumbnailRicoh WG-4
WG-30W vs WG-4
25-100mm
F2.0-4.9
16MP1/2.3"2014
Ricoh-WG-20 front thumbnailRicoh WG-20
WG-30W vs WG-20
28-140mm
F3.5-5.5
14MP1/2.3"2014
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Ricoh WG-30W Pros and Cons

Here is a list of pros and cons of the Ricoh WG-30W based on criterias that are usually considered essential in a camera.

built in image stabilization (Digital)
built in zoom lens (28-140mm 5.0 x zoom)
fairly wide (28mm)
has built in flash
has face detection focusing
has HDMI port
has tracking autofocus
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
weather proofing
cannot use external flash
display is not selfie friendly
focusing manually not possible
lack of external mic port
lack of headphone port
lack of phase detect AF
lack of RAW files
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
manual exposure not available
no aperture priority mode
no moving screen
no shutter priority
painfully slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
screen has low resolution (230 k dot)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
sluggish at long end (f5.5)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
tiny screen (2.7 inches)
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Ricoh WG-30W Sensor features

The sensor specification on the Ricoh WG-30W is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor can capture 4608 x 3456 pixels using aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9. The camera features Image Stabilization (Digital). Sensor stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization since the latter can lead to cropping.

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

The graphic below illustrates the WG-30W's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The WG-30W sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is displayed in green.

Ricoh WG-30W sensor size Jaw-Dropping Space Capture Exposes Earth's Mesmerizing Golden Luminescence

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

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Ricoh WG-30W dimensions

Ricoh WG-30W weighs around 0.43 lbs (194g or 6.84 oz) & the physical size of the camera is 123mm x 62mm x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2"). The weight of typical Waterproof camera is 195g and the Ricoh WG-30W is very much the same as compared with various rivals.

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Listed below is a pic of the Ricoh WG-30W next to a softdrink to help you to get a sense of its size.

Ricoh WG-30W dimensions scale

The top view directly below will show the button arrangement on the WG-30W.

Ricoh WG-30W topview buttons dials

Ricoh WG-30W Lens features

The WG-30W comes with an inbuilt lens having a focal range of 28-140mm making it a 5.0 x zoom which is not at all exceptional but it is going to be invaluable in a few conditions.

At it's widest 28mm, it features an aperture of f3.5 which will be quite sluggish and not the best for low light occasions and you may find it difficult to get a shallow depth of field. You will likely also need to raise your ISO which results in noisy photographs. At the long end, 140mm comes with f5.5 which is quite slow and you might have to choose slow shutter speeds.

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Ricoh WG-30W Connectivity

The WG-30W has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that come with NFC and / or Bluetooth support are able to be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You will be able to transfer photos and in some cases alter camera settings without the hassle of connecting directly with the camera.

Some apps also allow a Liveview and hit the shutter when you are not near the camera. If the camera contains a HDMI port, it can easily be connected to an external display. Many cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Ricoh WG-30W Video features

The max video quality on the Ricoh WG-30W is 1920 x 1080 and you can record in H.264 format. 1080p quality will provide a decent balance in quality and file size but 1080p is not going to leave you with any room to crop. The body does not have a microphone and / or headphone port which means that you get absolutely no control over the sound. It is perhaps best to buy another camera should you need good sound for your video clips.

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Ricoh WG-30W Weather Sealing

Ricoh WG-30W provides weather proofing making it a good pick for use in tough environments. This can be especially useful whenever you are not sure about the conditions you may encounter in outdoor photography.

Ricoh WG-30W Display and Viewfinder

The Ricoh WG-30W has a 2.7" fixed display having a resolution of 230k dots.

Unfortunately the display is not a touch screen.

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

The ViewFinder details for Ricoh WG-30W are below:

  • ViewFinder None

For bright outdoor conditions that make the camera displays washed out and difficult to see, viewfinders can be rather valuable.

Ricoh WG-30W Shutter features

Ricoh WG-30W continuous shooting speed is 1.0 frames per second. The max shutter speed is 1/4000 sec.

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Ricoh WG-30W Flash and Hot shoe features

Ricoh WG-30W features just inbuilt flash with missing external flash support.

Ricoh WG-30W Autofocusing features

Ricoh WG-30W features only Contrast Based AF & doesn't have Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection focusing is a lot snappier and exact as compared with Contrast Based focusing. The camera has Face detect making it handy for portrait photography.

The AF system has 9 focus points to choose from. It also comes with Tracking AF for objects on the move. Ricoh WG-30W doesn't have manual focusing. Manual focusing mode can be good in low light or you need to have more precise control on depth of field.

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Ricoh WG-30W Battery life

The battery pack (D-LI92) in the Ricoh WG-30W is built to last for 300 photographs according to the CIPA specifications making it similar to it's competition. The usual Waterproof camera battery life is 275. Olympus TG-4 has got the maximum (380) battery life in this range of cameras.

Listed below is a list of Waterproof cameras with the highest battery life:

Ricoh WG-30W for various categories of photography

The following diagram indicates a summary of the Ricoh WG-30W for various categories of photography. To view more, visit the specific paragraph below.

Portrait photography with Ricoh WG-30W

The Ricoh WG-30W has a points tally of 36 which is really bad, and means the camera is just not very good for portrait photography. Shooting portraits favors greatly towards sensor dimensions, support for RAW files in addition to the ability to utilize external flash.

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MP count decent (16MP)
comes with face detect focusing
no manual focus
no manual control
external flash not possible
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW format

Ricoh WG-30W Street photography factors

Getting a very good score of 62, the Ricoh WG-30W is a fine pick to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera comes with a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

Jaw-Dropping Space Capture Exposes Earth's Mesmerizing Golden Luminescence
built in image stabilization (Digital)
environment proofing
fixed screen
very small sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files

Ricoh WG-30W Sports photography features

A really bad sports photography score of 45 means the Ricoh WG-30W is just not very good for photographing sports. A camera should have great tracking plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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image stabilization (Digital)
decent MP (16MP)
offers tracking autofocus
environment sealing
very slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
lack of shutter priority mode
small sensor (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect auto focus

Ricoh WG-30W as a Travel photography camera

Size is very crucial in picking a camera for travel. Overall, the Ricoh WG-30W gets a above average 71 for a travel camera which makes it a fine fit for your trips.

OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus
environment sealing
good resolution (16MP)
has built in flash
decently wide (28mm)
display is not selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f3.5)

Ricoh WG-30W Landscape photography factors

If you are planning to purchase a digital camera for landscape photos, the biggest factor is going to be image quality. The Ricoh WG-30W and it's really bad grade of 43 as a landscape camera is just not very good among it's competition.

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reasonably wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Digital)
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
environment sealing
lack of manual focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen is small (2.7")
no manual control
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW format

Ricoh WG-30W as a Vlogging camera

A vlogging camera really should posses a moving display, microphone input and preferably image stabilization. Considering every thing, the Ricoh WG-30W is just not very good as a vlog camera as it delivers a really bad rating of 33.

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really wide (28mm)
built in image stabilization (Digital)
has face detect autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
no microphone support

Ricoh WG-30W Alternatives

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

The graph underneath will give you an overview of the WG-30W compared to it's top ranked competitors mentioned above.

Following are several cameras you might see as alternatives. To read a complete comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Ricoh
Model type
Ricoh WG-30W
Type
Waterproof
Announced
2014-10-09
Body design
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
16 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3 and 16:9
Max resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW files
Max native ISO
6400
Minimum native ISO
125
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
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)
Maximal aperture
f/3.5-5.5
Macro focusing distance
1cm
Crop factor
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display sizing
2.7 inches
Resolution of display
230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
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
Min shutter speed
4 seconds
Max shutter speed
1/4000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed
1.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
3.90 m (Auto ISO)
Flash modes
Auto, flash off, flash on, auto + redeye
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (30p), 1280 x 720
Max video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
H.264
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
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
194g (0.43 pounds)
Dimensions
123 x 62 x 30mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 1.2")
Other
Battery life
300 shots
Type of battery
Battery Pack
Battery ID
D-LI92
Self timer
Yes
Time lapse feature
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC, internal
Storage slots
Single
Pricing at release
$280