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Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1

Portability
93
Imaging
37
Features
31
Overall
34
Pentax Optio WG-1 GPS front
 
Pentax Q-S1 front
Portability
92
Imaging
38
Features
54
Overall
44

Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 Key Specs

Pentax WG-1 GPS
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-140mm (F3.5-5.5) lens
  • 167g - 116 x 59 x 29mm
  • Announced August 2011
Pentax Q-S1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Max Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax Q Mount
  • 203g - 105 x 58 x 34mm
  • Introduced August 2014
Photography Glossary

Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 Overview

In this article, we will be analyzing the Pentax WG-1 GPS versus Pentax Q-S1, one being a Waterproof and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are created by Pentax. The image resolution of the WG-1 GPS (14MP) and the Q-S1 (12MP) is pretty comparable but the WG-1 GPS (1/2.3") and Q-S1 (1/1.7") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The WG-1 GPS was brought out 4 years earlier than the Q-S1 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Pentax WG-1 GPS being a Compact camera and the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a more detailed comparison, below is a simple view of how the WG-1 GPS scores versus the Q-S1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Pentax WG-1 GPS over the Pentax Q-S1

 WG-1 GPS Q-S1 

Reasons to pick Pentax Q-S1 over the Pentax WG-1 GPS

 Q-S1 WG-1 GPS 
IntroducedAugust 2014August 2011More recent by 36 months
Screen sizing3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution460k230kSharper screen (+230k dot)

Common features in the Pentax WG-1 GPS and Pentax Q-S1

 WG-1 GPS Q-S1 
Manual focus More accurate focusing
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch screen Absent Touch screen

Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 Physical Comparison

When you are going to lug around your camera often, you should take into account its weight and volume. The Pentax WG-1 GPS has got outer measurements of 116mm x 59mm x 29mm (4.6" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) while the Pentax Q-S1 has sizing of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") with a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs).

Examine the Pentax WG-1 GPS versus Pentax Q-S1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at the time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the WG-1 GPS against the Q-S1.

Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 size comparison

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the WG-1 GPS and Q-S1 is 93 and 92 respectively.

Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 top view buttons comparison

Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, its difficult to see the gap in sensor measurements merely by going through specifications. The visual underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the WG-1 GPS and Q-S1.

To sum up, both of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The WG-1 GPS because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Pentax WG-1 GPS will produce more detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older WG-1 GPS will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.

Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 sensor size comparison

Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 Screen and ViewFinder

Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Pentax WG-1 GPS
Portrait photography with Pentax Q-S1
35
you can focus manually
decent MP (14 megapixels)
manual mode not possible
can't use external flash
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
46
manual focus
includes face detection focus
saves RAW files
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
small sensor (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Pentax WG-1 GPS Street photography highlights
Pentax Q-S1 Street photography highlights
54
environment sealing
no articulating screen
lack of image stabilization
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
69
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
saves RAW files
lighter than average (203 grams)
screen is fixed
small sensor (1/1.7")
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Pentax WG-1 GPS
Sports photography with Pentax Q-S1
37
decent MP (14MP)
features tracking autofocus
environment sealing
very slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority mode
lack of image stabilization
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
37
great max shutter speed (1/8,000s)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
includes tracking autofocus
slow frames per second (5.0 frames/s)
sensor resolution low (12MP)
small sensor (1/1.7")
bad battery (250 shots)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Pentax WG-1 GPS Travel photography advice
Pentax Q-S1 Travel photography advice
71
environment sealing
decent MP (14 megapixels)
has built in flash
rather wide (28mm)
screen isn't selfie friendly
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
60
lighter than average (203 grams)
has built in flash
bad battery (250 shots)
sensor resolution low (12 megapixels)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Pentax WG-1 GPS Landscape photography highlights
Pentax Q-S1 Landscape photography highlights
42
you can focus manually
rather wide (28mm)
decent MP (14MP)
environment sealing
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen is somewhat small (2.7")
manual mode not possible
lack of image stabilization
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
55
manual focus
switch lenses (Pentax Q mount)
nice screen size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
saves RAW files
sensor resolution low (12MP)
small sensor (1/1.7")
bad battery (250 per charge)
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Pentax WG-1 GPS
Vlogging with Pentax Q-S1
25
rather wide (28mm)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
screen isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
low quality video (1280 x 720 pixels)
missing external microphone port
35
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
includes face detection focus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than average (203 grams)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
lack of external microphone support
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Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Pentax Q-S1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Pentax WG-1 GPS and Pentax Q-S1
 Pentax Optio WG-1 GPSPentax Q-S1
General Information
Company Pentax Pentax
Model Pentax Optio WG-1 GPS Pentax Q-S1
Category Waterproof Entry-Level Mirrorless
Announced 2011-08-16 2014-08-04
Physical type Compact Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Powered by - Q Engine
Sensor type CCD BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/1.7"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixels 12 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio - 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 4288 x 3216 4000 x 3000
Maximum native ISO 6400 12800
Minimum native ISO 80 100
RAW data
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points 9 -
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens Pentax Q
Lens focal range 28-140mm (5.0x) -
Max aperture f/3.5-5.5 -
Macro focus distance 1cm -
Number of lenses - 8
Focal length multiplier 5.8 4.8
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 2.7 inches 3 inches
Display resolution 230 thousand dots 460 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Display tech TFT color LCD with Anti-reflective coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 4 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/1500 seconds 1/8000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 1.0fps 5.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 3.90 m 4.90 m (at ISO 100)
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Soft Auto, redeye reduction, slow sync, trailing curtain sync
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30, 15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps) 1920 x 1080 (30,25, 24p), 1280 x 720 (30, 25, 24p), 640 x 480 (30, 25, 24p)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video data format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS BuiltIn None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 167 grams (0.37 lb) 203 grams (0.45 lb)
Dimensions 116 x 59 x 29mm (4.6" x 2.3" x 1.1") 105 x 58 x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 260 pictures 250 pictures
Form of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model D-LI92 D-LI68
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC card, Internal SD/SDHC/SDXC card
Card slots 1 1
Pricing at launch $350 $250