Olympus 7030 vs Pentax MX-1

The following is a thorough assessment of the Olympus 7030 versus Pentax MX-1, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the 7030 (14MP) and the MX-1 (12MP) is very well matched but the 7030 (1/2.3") and MX-1 (1/1.7") possess totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The 7030 was unveiled 4 years prior to the MX-1 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving straight into a complete comparison, below is a concise summation of how the 7030 scores vs the MX-1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 7030 and Pentax MX-1. The full galleries are available at Olympus 7030 Gallery and Pentax MX-1 Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera often, you're going to have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus 7030 has got physical measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 140 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Pentax MX-1 has proportions of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") with a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

Check the Olympus 7030 versus Pentax MX-1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select at that time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the 7030 against the MX-1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the 7030 and MX-1 is 95 and 84 respectively.

Sometimes, it is hard to envision the gap between sensor dimensions only by looking at specifications. The pic below will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the 7030 and MX-1.

To sum up, both cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The 7030 using its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field trickier and the Olympus 7030 will give greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged 7030 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.