Pentax S1 vs Sony QX30

Here is a in-depth review of the Pentax S1 and Sony QX30, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Lens-style by companies Pentax and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap among the image resolutions of the S1 (14MP) and QX30 (20MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The S1 was launched 4 years before the QX30 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera and the Sony QX30 being a Lens-style camera.

Before getting into a full comparison, here is a quick summary of how the S1 matches up against the QX30 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax Optio S1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX30. The complete galleries are available at Pentax S1 Gallery & Sony QX30 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Pentax S1 has got exterior dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Sony QX30 has proportions of 68mm x 65mm x 58mm (2.7" x 2.6" x 2.3") with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax S1 and Sony QX30 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you select at that moment. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the S1 versus the QX30.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the S1 and QX30 is 93 and 91 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizing simply by viewing technical specs. The photograph below may provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the S1 and QX30.

As you have seen, both cameras have the same sensor dimensions but not the same MP. You can anticipate the Sony QX30 to provide you with greater detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older S1 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.