Pentax K-5 vs Pentax Q-S1

Its time to take a deeper look at the Pentax K-5 vs Pentax Q-S1, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are sold by Pentax. There is a sizable difference among the image resolutions of the K-5 (16MP) and Q-S1 (12MP) and the K-5 (APS-C) and Q-S1 (1/1.7") come with totally different sensor size.

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The K-5 was released 4 years before the Q-S1 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go in to a more detailed comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the K-5 matches up against the Q-S1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax K-5 & Pentax Q-S1. The complete galleries are provided at Pentax K-5 Gallery & Pentax Q-S1 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and measurements. The Pentax K-5 has outer measurements of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs) while the Pentax Q-S1 has proportions of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") with a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs).

Compare the Pentax K-5 vs Pentax Q-S1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the K-5 and the Q-S1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the K-5 and Q-S1 is 60 and 92 respectively.

Usually, it is hard to envision the difference in sensor sizing simply by looking through a spec sheet. The visual underneath will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the K-5 and Q-S1.

As you can see, each of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The K-5 due to its larger sensor will make shooting bokeh simpler and the Pentax K-5 will render more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The older K-5 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.