Olympus 1s vs Pentax Q-S1

Its time to look much closer at the Olympus 1s and Pentax Q-S1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the 1s (12MP) and the Q-S1 (12MP) is very close and they feature the same exact sensor sizes (1/1.7").

Photography Glossary

The 1s was announced 9 months after the Q-S1 and they are of a similar generation. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus 1s being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the 1s grades vs the Q-S1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 1s and Pentax Q-S1. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus 1s Gallery and Pentax Q-S1 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus 1s has outer dimensions of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") with a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs) while the Pentax Q-S1 has sizing of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs).

Check out the Olympus 1s and Pentax Q-S1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. Underneath is the front view sizing comparison of the 1s versus the Q-S1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 1s and Q-S1 is 79 and 92 respectively.

Typically, it can be difficult to see the difference in sensor sizes just by looking through specifications. The image below should provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the 1s and Q-S1.

To sum up, both of the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing and the identical megapixels and you should expect comparable quality of pictures but you really should factor the production date of the cameras into account. The more modern 1s is going to have a benefit in sensor tech.