Pentax K100D vs Pentax W90

Following is a extensive review of the Pentax K100D versus Pentax W90, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Waterproof and both are manufactured by Pentax. There is a considerable difference between the resolutions of the K100D (6MP) and W90 (12MP) and the K100D (APS-C) and W90 (1/2.3") use different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The K100D was revealed 4 years before the W90 which is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Pentax K100D being a Compact SLR camera and the Pentax W90 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a simple summation of how the K100D grades against the W90 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax K100D & Pentax Optio W90. The full galleries are available at Pentax K100D Gallery & Pentax W90 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Pentax K100D comes with exterior dimensions of 129mm x 93mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs) while the Pentax W90 has dimensions of 108mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs).

Compare the Pentax K100D versus Pentax W90 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the K100D and the W90.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the K100D and W90 is 64 and 94 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to imagine the contrast between sensor sizes simply by checking a spec sheet. The image below may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the K100D and W90.

As you can see, both of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The K100D having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Pentax W90 will give you more detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged K100D is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.