Pentax Q-S1 vs Sony a3500

On this page, we will be evaluating the Pentax Q-S1 versus Sony a3500, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by companies Pentax and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the sensor resolutions of the Q-S1 (12MP) and a3500 (20MP) and the Q-S1 (1/1.7") and a3500 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizes.

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The Q-S1 was announced 5 months after the a3500 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony a3500 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a short view of how the Q-S1 scores vs the a3500 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax Q-S1 & Sony Alpha a3500. The whole galleries are viewable at Pentax Q-S1 Gallery & Sony a3500 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Pentax Q-S1 comes with external measurements of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs) while the Sony a3500 has specifications of 128mm x 91mm x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 411 grams (0.91 lbs).

Look at the Pentax Q-S1 versus Sony a3500 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the Q-S1 vs the a3500.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the Q-S1 and a3500 is 92 and 69 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to picture the difference in sensor dimensions just by going through specs. The pic underneath might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the Q-S1 and a3500.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The Q-S1 with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony a3500 will provide greater detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots more aggressively.