Olympus SH-3 vs Pentax MX-1

Lets look much closer at the Olympus SH-3 versus Pentax MX-1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There exists a substantial gap between the image resolutions of the SH-3 (16MP) and MX-1 (12MP) and the SH-3 (1/2.3") and MX-1 (1/1.7") provide totally different sensor size.

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The SH-3 was unveiled 2 years later than the MX-1 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before we go right into a full comparison, here is a short summary of how the SH-3 scores vs the MX-1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-3 & Pentax MX-1. The full galleries are available at Olympus SH-3 Gallery & Pentax MX-1 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus SH-3 has exterior dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) whilst the Pentax MX-1 has sizing of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") having a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

Check the Olympus SH-3 versus Pentax MX-1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have attached at that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the SH-3 versus the MX-1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SH-3 and MX-1 is 88 and 84 respectively.

Sometimes, it's tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements merely by reading through specs. The visual here might offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the SH-3 and MX-1.

All in all, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The SH-3 with its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Olympus SH-3 will give more detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos way more aggressively. The fresher SH-3 will have a benefit in sensor tech.