Canon SX70 vs Ricoh WG-6

The Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and the Ricoh WG-6 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2018 and February 2019. Both the SX70 and the WG-6 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20.2 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon SX70		Ricoh WG-6
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5		28-140mm f/3.5-5.5
20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 125-6,400
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		1 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Waterproof body (20m)
325 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
127 x 91 x 117 mm, 608 g		118 x 66 x 33 mm, 246 g

Check SX70 price at
amazon.com
Check WG-6 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and the Ricoh WG-6? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon SX70 and the Ricoh WG-6 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The WG-6 can be obtained in two different colors (black, orange), while the SX70 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Ricoh WG-6 is considerably smaller (33 percent) than the Canon SX70. Moreover, the WG-6 is substantially lighter (60 percent) than the SX70. It is noteworthy in this context that the WG-6 is splash and dust-proof, while the SX70 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the WG-6 is water-proof up to 20m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

Concerning battery life, the SX70 gets 325 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the WG-6 can take 340 images on a single charge of its Ricoh DB-110 power pack. The power pack in the WG-6 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
2.		Ricoh WG-6	118 mm	66 mm	33 mm	246 g	340	Y	Feb 2019	399	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX1	128 mm	88 mm	88 mm	615 g	..	n	Sep 2008	599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX99	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX95	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	242 g	370	n	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The WG-6 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 27 percent) than the SX70, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 20.2 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the SX70 and the WG-6 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the WG-6 is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 months) than the SX70, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Canon PowerShot SX70 HS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Ricoh WG-6 are ISO 125 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
2.		Ricoh WG-6	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1104	52
3.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
4.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
5.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
7.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
8.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
9.		Canon SX1	1/2.3	10.0	3648	2736	1080/30p	19.0	10.3	144	35
10.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
11.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
12.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
13.		Sony HX99	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1058	51
14.		Sony HX95	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1057	51
15.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
16.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the SX70 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the WG-6 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon SX70, the Ricoh WG-6, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Ricoh WG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX1	202	n	2.8 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	4.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony HX99	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX95	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Ricoh WG-6 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Both the SX70 and the WG-6 have zoom lenses built in. The SX70 has a 21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5 optic and the WG-6 offers a 28-140mm f/3.5-5.5 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Canon provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Ricoh. The SX70 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX70 and the WG-6 write their files to SDXC cards. The SX70 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the WG-6 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and Ricoh WG-6 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Ricoh WG-6	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Sony HX99	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony HX95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the SX70 has a microphone port, which is missing on the WG-6. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the WG-6 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the SX70 and the WG-6 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The SX70 replaced the earlier Canon SX60 , while the WG-6 followed on from the Ricoh WG-5. Further information on the features and operation of the SX70 and WG-6 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX70 Manual (free pdf) or the online Ricoh WG-6 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon SX70 or the Ricoh WG-6 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 1 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.4 vs f/3.5).
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2018).

Reasons to prefer the Ricoh WG-6:

• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (118x66mm vs 127x91mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 362g or 60 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 20m).
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (27 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (5 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SX70 comes out slightly ahead of the WG-6 (13 : 12 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon SX70 and the Ricoh WG-6 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Travel-Zoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SX70 or the WG-6. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
2.		Ricoh WG-6	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2019	399	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX1	..	+ +	..	+	..	3.5/5	Sep 2008	599	ebay.com
10.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
13.		Sony HX99	..	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	449	ebay.com
14.		Sony HX95	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
15.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check SX70 price at
amazon.com
Check WG-6 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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Check SX70 price at
amazon.com
Check WG-6 price at
amazon.com

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