Pentax S1 vs Sony RX10

Here, we will be contrasting the Pentax S1 versus Sony RX10, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by companies Pentax and Sony. There exists a large gap between the image resolutions of the S1 (14MP) and RX10 (20MP) and the S1 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") have different sensor sizes.

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The S1 was announced 4 years before the RX10 which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a brief overview of how the S1 scores against the RX10 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax Optio S1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The whole galleries are available at Pentax S1 Gallery & Sony RX10 Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and volume. The Pentax S1 comes with external dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Sony RX10 has sizing of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") and a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Take a look at the Pentax S1 versus Sony RX10 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use during that time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the S1 compared to the RX10.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S1 and RX10 is 93 and 58 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to visualize the gap between sensor dimensions purely by reading a spec sheet. The image here might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the S1 and RX10.

As you can see, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The S1 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Sony RX10 will offer extra detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more aged S1 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.