Nikon P330 vs Pentax E85

The following is a extended analysis of the Nikon P330 and Pentax E85, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by rivals Nikon and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the P330 (12MP) and the E85 (12MP) is fairly close but the P330 (1/1.7") and E85 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The P330 was announced 3 years after the E85 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the P330 grades against the E85 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon Coolpix P330 & Pentax Optio E85. The whole galleries are provided at Nikon P330 Gallery & Pentax E85 Gallery.

If you are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Nikon P330 comes with outer dimensions of 103mm x 58mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs) and the Pentax E85 has dimensions of 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

Examine the Nikon P330 and Pentax E85 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use at that time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the P330 and the E85.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the P330 and E85 is 92 and 95 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to envision the difference in sensor dimensions simply by viewing a spec sheet. The picture below will give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the P330 and E85.

As you can see, both of the cameras posses the exact same megapixels but not the same sensor dimensions. The P330 features the larger sensor which should make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult. The younger P330 will have an advantage in sensor innovation.