Pentax E85 vs Pentax Q-S1

On this page, we are evaluating the Pentax E85 versus Pentax Q-S1, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both created by Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E85 (12MP) and the Q-S1 (12MP) is very similar but the E85 (1/2.3") and Q-S1 (1/1.7") provide totally different sensor size.

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The E85 was introduced 5 years prior to the Q-S1 and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax E85 being a Compact camera and the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the E85 grades against the Q-S1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio E85 & Pentax Q-S1. The whole galleries are available at Pentax E85 Gallery & Pentax Q-S1 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Pentax E85 features physical dimensions of 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Pentax Q-S1 has measurements of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") and a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs).

See the Pentax E85 versus Pentax Q-S1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have at that moment. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the E85 vs the Q-S1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E85 and Q-S1 is 95 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to see the gap between sensor measurements merely by reading specs. The visual below will offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E85 and Q-S1.

As you can plainly see, both cameras have the same megapixel count but not the same sensor measurements. The E85 contains the tinier sensor which is going to make getting shallow DOF trickier. The older E85 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.