Pentax S1 vs Sony RX10 II

On this page, we will be reviewing the Pentax S1 and Sony RX10 II, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the S1 (14MP) and RX10 II (20MP) and the S1 (1/2.3") and RX10 II (1") posses different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The S1 was manufactured 5 years before the RX10 II and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 II being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving into a comprehensive comparison, here is a short introduction of how the S1 grades versus the RX10 II with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax Optio S1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II. The entire galleries are available at Pentax S1 Gallery & Sony RX10 II Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Pentax S1 provides external 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) whilst the Sony RX10 II has proportions of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") with a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax S1 and Sony RX10 II in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the S1 versus the RX10 II.

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

Typically, it's tough to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements only by seeing specs. The photograph below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the S1 and RX10 II.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The S1 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Sony RX10 II will produce greater detail due to its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older S1 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.