Olympus SP-810 UZ vs Pentax MX-1

Here is a extensive assessment of the Olympus SP-810 UZ and Pentax MX-1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the SP-810 UZ (14MP) and the MX-1 (12MP) is relatively close but the SP-810 UZ (1/2.3") and MX-1 (1/1.7") offer different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SP-810 UZ was revealed 23 months earlier than the MX-1 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-810 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax MX-1 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the SP-810 UZ scores versus the MX-1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SP-810 UZ & Pentax MX-1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-810 UZ Gallery & Pentax MX-1 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus SP-810 UZ has outer measurements of 106mm x 76mm x 74mm (4.2" x 3.0" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) while the Pentax MX-1 has measurements of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") along with a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

Check the Olympus SP-810 UZ and Pentax MX-1 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the SP-810 UZ compared to the MX-1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SP-810 UZ and MX-1 is 78 and 84 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to imagine the difference in sensor sizing only by looking through a spec sheet. The photograph here will provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-810 UZ and MX-1.

Clearly, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SP-810 UZ with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Olympus SP-810 UZ will result in more detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs more aggressively. The older SP-810 UZ will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.