Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Sony RX100

Its time to look more closely at the Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Sony RX100, former being a Waterproof while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Pentax and Sony. There exists a large gap among the image resolutions of the WG-1 GPS (14MP) and RX100 (20MP) and the WG-1 GPS (1/2.3") and RX100 (1") offer different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The WG-1 GPS was unveiled 12 months before the RX100 which means that they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax WG-1 GPS being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the WG-1 GPS grades against the RX100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax Optio WG-1 GPS & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. The full galleries are provided at Pentax WG-1 GPS Gallery & Sony RX100 Gallery.

If you're going to carry your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and volume. The Pentax WG-1 GPS comes with physical dimensions of 116mm x 59mm x 29mm (4.6" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) whilst the Sony RX100 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax WG-1 GPS vs Sony RX100 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have at the time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the WG-1 GPS vs the RX100.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the WG-1 GPS and RX100 is 93 and 91 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizing merely by checking out specifications. The graphic here may give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the WG-1 GPS and RX100.

To sum up, both of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The WG-1 GPS with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony RX100 will show extra detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots more aggressively. The older WG-1 GPS will be behind with regard to sensor technology.