Olympus XZ-1 vs Pentax XG-1

Here, we will be evaluating the Olympus XZ-1 versus Pentax XG-1, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Pentax. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and XG-1 (16MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and XG-1 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor dimensions.

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The XZ-1 was announced 4 years before the XG-1 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax XG-1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the XZ-1 grades against the XG-1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus XZ-1 and Pentax XG-1. The whole galleries are available at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery and Pentax XG-1 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry around your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus XZ-1 has outside dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) and the Pentax XG-1 has dimensions of 119mm x 89mm x 98mm (4.7" x 3.5" x 3.9") accompanied by a weight of 567 grams (1.25 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus XZ-1 versus Pentax XG-1 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have at that moment. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the XZ-1 vs the XG-1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the XZ-1 and XG-1 is 88 and 66 respectively.

Often, it's tough to envision the gap in sensor sizes simply by viewing specs. The pic here will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the XZ-1 and XG-1.

All in all, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The XZ-1 using its bigger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Pentax XG-1 will render greater detail with its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged XZ-1 will be behind in sensor innovation.