Pentax VS20 vs Sony RX100

On this page, we are comparing the Pentax VS20 and Sony RX100, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by brands Pentax and Sony. The sensor resolution of the VS20 (16MP) and the RX100 (20MP) is very well matched but the VS20 (1/2.3") and RX100 (1") have different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The VS20 was unveiled 7 months before the RX100 and they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Pentax VS20 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the VS20 matches up against the RX100 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio VS20 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. The full galleries are available at Pentax VS20 Gallery & Sony RX100 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera frequently, you need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Pentax VS20 offers physical dimensions of 111mm x 61mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5") along with a weight of 235 grams (0.52 lbs) whilst the Sony RX100 has proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") with a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Compare the Pentax VS20 and Sony RX100 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have at that moment. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the VS20 compared to the RX100.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the VS20 and RX100 is 90 and 91 respectively.

Typically, its tough to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions only by looking at specs. The pic below will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the VS20 and RX100.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The VS20 using its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony RX100 will give you more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more aged VS20 is going to be behind in sensor technology.