Pentax W80 vs Sony HX400V

Below, we are evaluating the Pentax W80 and Sony HX400V, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Pentax and Sony. There is a big difference between the resolutions of the W80 (12MP) and HX400V (20MP) but they enjoy the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The W80 was brought out 5 years earlier than the HX400V which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Pentax W80 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX400V being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving in to a complete comparison, below is a short view of how the W80 matches up versus the HX400V with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio W80 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V. The entire galleries are provided at Pentax W80 Gallery and Sony HX400V Gallery.

If you're looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and volume. The Pentax W80 offers physical measurements of 100mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs) while the Sony HX400V has sizing of 130mm x 93mm x 103mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.1") and a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Compare the Pentax W80 and Sony HX400V in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using at the time. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the W80 vs the HX400V.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the W80 and HX400V is 94 and 62 respectively.

Usually, it is tough to visualise the difference between sensor sizes merely by looking at technical specs. The picture below will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the W80 and HX400V.

As you can tell, both the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same resolution. You should expect to see the Sony HX400V to give you extra detail having its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more aged W80 is going to be behind in sensor tech.