Pentax S1 vs Sony A500

On this page, we are reviewing the Pentax S1 and Sony A500, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Pentax and Sony. The sensor resolution of the S1 (14MP) and the A500 (12MP) is very well matched but the S1 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) provide different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The S1 was revealed 19 months after the A500 making them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a short introduction of how the S1 grades vs the A500 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio S1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The full galleries are available at Pentax S1 Gallery & Sony A500 Gallery.

When you are going to travel with your camera frequently, you will want to consider its weight and volume. The Pentax S1 enjoys outer dimensions 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 A500 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Pentax S1 and Sony A500 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use during that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the S1 versus the A500.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the S1 and A500 is 93 and 63 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions merely by looking at specifications. The picture underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the S1 and A500.

To sum up, the 2 cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The S1 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Pentax S1 will give more detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The more modern S1 provides an edge in sensor technology.