Nikon AW100 vs Pentax K100D S

Following is a complete analysis of the Nikon AW100 and Pentax K100D S, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Nikon and Pentax. There exists a big gap between the image resolutions of the AW100 (16MP) and K100D S (6MP) and the AW100 (1/2.3") and K100D S (APS-C) posses different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The AW100 was launched 4 years after the K100D S which is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Nikon AW100 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K100D S being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the AW100 scores versus the K100D S with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon Coolpix AW100 and Pentax K100D Super. The complete galleries are viewable at Nikon AW100 Gallery and Pentax K100D S Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and measurements. The Nikon AW100 comes with external measurements of 110mm x 65mm x 23mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) and the Pentax K100D S has proportions of 129mm x 91mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.8") with a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Compare the Nikon AW100 and Pentax K100D S in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the AW100 versus the K100D S.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the AW100 and K100D S is 93 and 65 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to picture the contrast between sensor sizes merely by reading technical specs. The picture below should offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the AW100 and K100D S.

As you can tell, each of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The AW100 due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field tougher and the Nikon AW100 will offer you extra detail utilizing its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos way more aggressively. The more modern AW100 should have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.