Pentax S1 vs Sony A230

Lets look a bit more closely at the Pentax S1 and Sony A230, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Pentax and Sony. There is a considerable difference between the image resolutions of the S1 (14MP) and A230 (10MP) and the S1 (1/2.3") and A230 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

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The S1 was announced 22 months after the A230 which makes them a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief overview of how the S1 matches up versus the A230 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax Optio S1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A230. The whole galleries are available at Pentax S1 Gallery & Sony A230 Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Pentax S1 features external measurements of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Sony A230 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") along with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax S1 and Sony A230 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with during that time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the S1 and the A230.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the S1 and A230 is 93 and 69 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to envision the contrast between sensor dimensions merely by reading specs. The pic here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the S1 and A230.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The S1 with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Pentax S1 will offer extra detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The more recent S1 will have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.