Pentax K-S1 vs Sony NEX-3

Let's look closer at the Pentax K-S1 versus Sony NEX-3, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Pentax and Sony. There is a huge difference between the image resolutions of the K-S1 (20MP) and NEX-3 (14MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor measurements (APS-C).

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The K-S1 was revealed 4 years after the NEX-3 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Pentax K-S1 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a short view of how the K-S1 grades versus the NEX-3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax K-S1 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The full galleries are provided at Pentax K-S1 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and measurements. The Pentax K-S1 features physical dimensions of 121mm x 93mm x 70mm (4.8" x 3.7" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 558 grams (1.23 lbs) and the Sony NEX-3 has proportions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax K-S1 versus Sony NEX-3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the K-S1 against the NEX-3.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the K-S1 and NEX-3 is 69 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, its difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reviewing specifications. The image below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the K-S1 and NEX-3.

To sum up, both the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Pentax K-S1 to deliver extra detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics more aggressively. The fresher K-S1 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.