Olympus SH-1 vs Pentax Efina

Let's look closer at the Olympus SH-1 and Pentax Efina, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the SH-1 (16MP) and the Efina (14MP) is pretty close and both cameras boast the same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SH-1 was brought out 11 months later than the Efina which means that they are both of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax Efina being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the SH-1 scores against the Efina in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SH-1 & Pentax Efina. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-1 Gallery & Pentax Efina Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera, you need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-1 has exterior dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Pentax Efina has measurements of 87mm x 54mm x 21mm (3.4" x 2.1" x 0.8") with a weight of 91 grams (0.20 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SH-1 and Pentax Efina in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the SH-1 against the Efina.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SH-1 and Efina is 88 and 97 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to imagine the gap in sensor measurements just by looking through technical specs. The graphic here will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-1 and Efina.

As you have seen, both of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit different MP. You can expect the Olympus SH-1 to provide you with extra detail having its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The newer SH-1 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.