Olympus XZ-1 vs Pentax WS80

Following is a in depth overview of the Olympus XZ-1 and Pentax WS80, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Waterproof by companies Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the XZ-1 (10MP) and the WS80 (10MP) is very comparable but the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and WS80 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The XZ-1 was launched 18 months after the WS80 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before we go through a complete comparison, below is a quick overview of how the XZ-1 grades against the WS80 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus XZ-1 & Pentax Optio WS80. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery & Pentax WS80 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera, you have to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-1 enjoys outside dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) while the Pentax WS80 has proportions of 92mm x 60mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus XZ-1 and Pentax WS80 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that moment. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the XZ-1 against the WS80.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the XZ-1 and WS80 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Often, its difficult to see the gap in sensor sizes simply by checking out technical specs. The image below might offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the XZ-1 and WS80.

As you have seen, each of these cameras enjoy the same exact MP but not the same sensor sizes. The XZ-1 uses the larger sensor which is going to make achieving shallower depth of field easier. The more recent XZ-1 will have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.