Pentax WS80 vs Sony QX30

Following is a in-depth comparison of the Pentax WS80 versus Sony QX30, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Lens-style by companies Pentax and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the WS80 (10MP) and QX30 (20MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The WS80 was brought out 6 years earlier than the QX30 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Pentax WS80 being a Compact camera and the Sony QX30 being a Lens-style camera.

Before getting into a complete comparison, here is a short view of how the WS80 matches up vs the QX30 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio WS80 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX30. The entire galleries are viewable at Pentax WS80 Gallery and Sony QX30 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera often, you will have to think about its weight and size. The Pentax WS80 provides outside measurements of 92mm x 60mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Sony QX30 has specifications of 68mm x 65mm x 58mm (2.7" x 2.6" x 2.3") with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

Compare the Pentax WS80 versus Sony QX30 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the WS80 versus the QX30.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the WS80 and QX30 is 95 and 91 respectively.

Often, it can be hard to envision the gap in sensor sizes purely by looking through a spec sheet. The image here might offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the WS80 and QX30.

As you can see, the two cameras have the same sensor dimensions but not the same resolution. You should expect to see the Sony QX30 to render greater detail having its extra 10MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged WS80 will be behind in sensor tech.