Pentax W80 vs Sony RX10 IV

In this article, we are reviewing the Pentax W80 versus Sony RX10 IV, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by rivals Pentax and Sony. There is a significant difference among the sensor resolutions of the W80 (12MP) and RX10 IV (20MP) and the W80 (1/2.3") and RX10 IV (1") use different sensor size.

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The W80 was revealed 9 years earlier than the RX10 IV which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Pentax W80 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 IV being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting in to a thorough comparison, below is a brief view of how the W80 matches up versus the RX10 IV with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax Optio W80 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV. The full galleries are provided at Pentax W80 Gallery and Sony RX10 IV Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera, you need to factor its weight and proportions. The Pentax W80 offers external dimensions of 100mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs) and the Sony RX10 IV has measurements of 133mm x 94mm x 145mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 5.7") accompanied by a weight of 1095 grams (2.41 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax W80 versus Sony RX10 IV in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the W80 compared to the RX10 IV.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the W80 and RX10 IV is 94 and 52 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to imagine the gap in sensor dimensions merely by researching specifications. The image here should provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the W80 and RX10 IV.

To sum up, the 2 cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The W80 using its smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh tougher and the Sony RX10 IV will result in extra detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged W80 will be behind in sensor tech.