Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax Q-S1

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax Q-S1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the Q-S1 (12MP) is fairly close but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and Q-S1 (1/1.7") provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The SZ-12 was unveiled 3 years before the Q-S1 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple view of how the SZ-12 matches up versus the Q-S1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-12 and Pentax Q-S1. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Pentax Q-S1 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera, you need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-12 has got outside measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax Q-S1 has specifications of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") having a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax Q-S1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at the time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the SZ-12 compared to the Q-S1.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and Q-S1 is 89 and 92 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to envision the gap in sensor sizing simply by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic below will offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-12 and Q-S1.

As you can see, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SZ-12 using its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Olympus SZ-12 will render more detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images more aggressively. The older SZ-12 will be behind in sensor tech.