Nikon 1 V2 vs Pentax Q-S1

Its time to look more closely at the Nikon 1 V2 and Pentax Q-S1, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by competitors Nikon and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the 1 V2 (14MP) and the Q-S1 (12MP) is pretty well matched but the 1 V2 (1") and Q-S1 (1/1.7") provide different sensor size.

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The 1 V2 was unveiled 21 months prior to the Q-S1 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Nikon 1 V2 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a brief summation of how the 1 V2 scores versus the Q-S1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon 1 V2 & Pentax Q-S1. The full galleries are viewable at Nikon 1 V2 Gallery & Pentax Q-S1 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and proportions. The Nikon 1 V2 offers outside measurements of 109mm x 82mm x 46mm (4.3" x 3.2" x 1.8") with a weight of 278 grams (0.61 lbs) whilst the Pentax Q-S1 has measurements of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs).

Take a look at the Nikon 1 V2 and Pentax Q-S1 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is a front view scale comparison of the 1 V2 versus the Q-S1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the 1 V2 and Q-S1 is 85 and 92 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to imagine the difference between sensor measurements only by checking specifications. The visual here should give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the 1 V2 and Q-S1.

To sum up, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 1 V2 using its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Nikon 1 V2 will give extra detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs more aggressively. The older 1 V2 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.