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Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1

Portability
63
Imaging
58
Features
65
Overall
60
Pentax K-50 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 front
Portability
67
Imaging
32
Features
36
Overall
33

Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 Key Specs

Pentax K-50
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 51600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/6000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 650g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
  • Revealed November 2013
  • Previous Model is Pentax K-30
Sony HX1
(Full Review)
  • 9MP - 1/2.4" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 125 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1440 x 1080 video
  • 28-560mm (F2.8-5.2) lens
  • 544g - 115 x 83 x 92mm
  • Launched April 2009
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Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 Overview

Let's look a little more closely at the Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Pentax and Sony. There exists a large gap between the sensor resolutions of the K-50 (16MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the K-50 (APS-C) and HX1 (1/2.4") feature different sensor sizes.

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The K-50 was launched 4 years after the HX1 which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Pentax K-50 being a Compact SLR camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting in to a thorough comparison, below is a short view of how the K-50 grades vs the HX1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Pentax K-50 over the Sony HX1

 K-50 HX1 
LaunchedNovember 2013April 2009Newer by 56 months
Display resolution921k230kClearer display (+691k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony HX1 over the Pentax K-50

 HX1 K-50 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Common features in the Pentax K-50 and Sony HX1

 K-50 HX1 
Manually focus Very exact focusing
Display dimension3"3"Identical display dimensions
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch friendly display Neither has Touch friendly display

Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 Physical Comparison

If you're planning to travel with your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and volume. The Pentax K-50 has outer dimensions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs) and the Sony HX1 has sizing of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") with a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Check out the Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the K-50 and the HX1.

Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the K-50 and HX1 is 63 and 67 respectively.

Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 top view buttons comparison

Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 Sensor Comparison

Sometimes, its tough to visualize the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by looking at a spec sheet. The pic underneath will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the K-50 and HX1.

Clearly, each of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The K-50 because of its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Pentax K-50 will give you more detail utilizing its extra 7MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos much more aggressively. The newer K-50 provides an edge in sensor technology.

Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 sensor size comparison

Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 Screen and ViewFinder

Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Pentax K-50 Portrait photography features
Sony HX1 Portrait photography features
74
you can focus manually
good megapixels (16MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports face detect focus
saves RAW files
27
manual focus
no external flash support
low MP (9 megapixels)
very small sensor (1/2.4")
lacks RAW support
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Street Comparison

Pentax K-50 as a Street photography camera
Sony HX1 as a Street photography camera
65
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
saves RAW files
environment proofing
above average high ISO (51,600)
no articulating screen
heavier than competitors (650 grams)
50
screen tilts
has image stabilization (Optical)
very small sensor (1/2.4")
lacks RAW support
heavier than competition in class (544 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Pentax K-50 Sports photography details
Sony HX1 Sports photography details
67
high shutter speed (1/6,000 seconds)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports tracking focus
environment proofing
supports phase detect auto focus
slow frames per second (6.0 frames/s)
low battery (410 per charge)
36
long zoom range (28-560mm 20.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
low MP (9 megapixels)
very small sensor (1/2.4")
lacks phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Pentax K-50 as a Travel photography camera
Sony HX1 as a Travel photography camera
56
environment proofing
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
low battery (410 shots)
heavier than competitors (650 grams)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
48
flash built-in
fairly wide (28mm)
great zoom (560mm)
no Time Lapse function
heavier than competition in class (544 grams)
low MP (9MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Pentax K-50 Landscape photography info
Sony HX1 Landscape photography info
74
you can focus manually
switch lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
screen size is good (3")
image stabilization (Sensor based)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
above average high ISO (51,600)
saves RAW files
environment proofing
low battery (410 CIPA)
39
manual focus
fairly wide (28mm)
pretty good screen size (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
low MP (9 megapixels)
very small sensor (1/2.4")
lacks RAW support
no Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Pentax K-50 Vlogging information
Sony HX1 Vlogging information
28
image stabilization (Sensor based)
supports face detect focus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
doesn't have mic socket
heavier than competitors (650g)
22
fairly wide (28mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
display isn't selfie friendly
low res video (1440 x 1080 resolution)
no external mic support
heavier than competition in class (544g)
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Pentax K-50 vs Sony HX1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Pentax K-50 and Sony HX1
 Pentax K-50Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1
General Information
Brand Name Pentax Sony
Model Pentax K-50 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1
Type Entry-Level DSLR Small Sensor Superzoom
Revealed 2013-11-27 2009-04-22
Physical type Compact SLR SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Powered by PRIME M Bionz
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size APS-C 1/2.4"
Sensor dimensions 23.7 x 15.7mm 6.104 x 4.578mm
Sensor area 372.1mm² 27.9mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 9 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4928 x 3264 3456 x 2592
Max native ISO 51600 3200
Min native ISO 100 125
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Autofocus touch
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points 11 9
Cross focus points 9 -
Lens
Lens mount Pentax KAF2 fixed lens
Lens focal range - 28-560mm (20.0x)
Highest aperture - f/2.8-5.2
Macro focus distance - 1cm
Number of lenses 151 -
Crop factor 1.5 5.9
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Tilting
Display diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of display 921 thousand dots 230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Display technology TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentaprism) Electronic
Viewfinder coverage 100% -
Viewfinder magnification 0.61x -
Features
Lowest shutter speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/6000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 6.0 frames/s 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 12.00 m (at ISO 100) 9.20 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync, Slow Sync+Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Front Curtain, Rear Curtain
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize 1/180 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps) 1440 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1440x1080
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 H.264
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS Optional None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 650g (1.43 lb) 544g (1.20 lb)
Dimensions 130 x 97 x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") 115 x 83 x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 79 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 23.7 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 13.0 not tested
DXO Low light score 1120 not tested
Other
Battery life 410 photographs -
Form of battery Battery Pack -
Battery model D-LI109 NP-FH50
Self timer Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo, Internal
Card slots Single Single
Pricing at launch $610 $47,999