Olympus SP-600 UZ vs Pentax Q-S1

Its time to look closer at the Olympus SP-600 UZ and Pentax Q-S1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the SP-600 UZ (12MP) and the Q-S1 (12MP) is very close but the SP-600 UZ (1/2.3") and Q-S1 (1/1.7") enjoy totally different sensor sizing.

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The SP-600 UZ was launched 5 years before the Q-S1 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SP-600 UZ being a Compact camera and the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting through a full comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the SP-600 UZ scores vs the Q-S1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SP-600 UZ and Pentax Q-S1. The complete galleries are available at Olympus SP-600 UZ Gallery and Pentax Q-S1 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry around your camera often, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus SP-600 UZ features physical measurements of 110mm x 90mm x 91mm (4.3" x 3.5" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 455 grams (1.00 lbs) and the Pentax Q-S1 has specifications of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") and a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SP-600 UZ and Pentax Q-S1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the SP-600 UZ versus the Q-S1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-600 UZ and Q-S1 is 69 and 92 respectively.

Often, it is very hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizes simply by looking through specs. The pic underneath will help offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-600 UZ and Q-S1.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras enjoy the same exact MP but not the same sensor sizes. The SP-600 UZ includes the smaller sensor which should make achieving shallow DOF more challenging. The more aged SP-600 UZ will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.