Ricoh’s Pentax WG-90 is a WG-80 with a new name

Ricoh has announced the new Pentax WG-90. And true to form, it’s pretty much identical to its predecessor. In fact, I can’t see a single difference in the specs. The only change is that it has a Pentax logo instead of a Ricoh one.

The camera that’s been largely unchanged since 2017’s Ricoh WG-50 and sees no upgrades from the Ricoh WG-80 (buy here) whatsoever. It comes in either black or blue and will become available in early 2024.

The same old camera

Ricoh Imaging has posted some sample footage from the “new” Pentax WG-90 to their YouTube channel. It still looks exactly like footage from the Ricoh WG-50. And there’s no reason why it shouldn’t. The cameras share the same sensor, lens, and internal processing tech.

The Ricoh WG-60 did add support for Toshiba FlashAir WiFi SD cards, but those haven’t been a thing for a while now. The release of the Ricoh WG-70 did see an updated firmware over the WG-60, but that was about it.

The Ricoh WG-80 introduced a slightly new design to the exterior. When we first saw images of the WG-80, we hoped that its exterior redesign was the result of an interior one, too. But no. It appears that everything is essentially the same, except with a slightly brighter LED ring light.

Now, the Pentax WG-90’s revolutionary new feature is a different company logo stamped on the front of it.

But why?

According to Ricoh, it’s simple brand recognition. They want to leverage the Pentax reputation. Or bolster it to help promote their upcoming film cameras.

The WG series all-weather adventure cameras will now be offered under the PENTAX brand which is regarded industry-wide for developing dustproof, waterproof and weather-resistant products.

The WG-90 appears to be identical to the WG-80 in every single way except for the company logo. I’m not sure why Ricoh keeps doing this, but it’s certainly not an upgrade over the WG-80.

Pentas WG-90 Specs

Sensor	~16-megapixel 1/2.3″ BSI CMOS
Focal length	5-25mm (28-140mm FF equivalent)
Max aperture	f/3.5-5.5
Optical Zoom	5x
Digital zoom	7.2x
Stabilisation	Electronic
Focus	9 point AF, spot AF, auto tracking AF
Face detection	Face detection, Smile Capture, Self-portrait Assistant, Blink Detection
Pet detection	Detect up to one pet’s face (auto)
ISO	125-6400
LCD	2.7″ 239K-dot LCD
Built-in flash	Yes
Video resolution	1920×1080 @~ 30fps
Waterproof	IPX8 – Waterproof to 14m (46ft)
Shockproof	Shockproof against falls from up to 1.6 metres
Crushproof	Up to 100kgf (kilogram force)
Freezeproof	To -10°C
Dimensions	122.5 x 61.5 x 29.5mm
Weight	194g (with battery & SD card)

Price and Availability

Ricoh has not yet released a price for the Pentax WG-90 but they say it will become available in “early 2024”. Until then, the Ricoh WG-80 will still be available. The Ricoh WG-80 is currently available to buy now for $296.95.

Update January 25th, 2024: Ricoh has been in touch with DIYP to let us know that the MSRP for the Pentax WG-90 is $329.95. It will begin shipping and become available in early February.