Pentax Q-S1 vs Sony HX80

Here, we will be matching up the Pentax Q-S1 vs Sony HX80, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the Q-S1 (12MP) and HX80 (18MP) and the Q-S1 (1/1.7") and HX80 (1/2.3") boast different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The Q-S1 was brought out 19 months prior to the HX80 which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX80 being a Compact camera.

Before we go right into a detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the Q-S1 grades versus the HX80 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax Q-S1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80. The entire galleries are viewable at Pentax Q-S1 Gallery and Sony HX80 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera often, you're going to have to factor in its weight and size. The Pentax Q-S1 provides external measurements of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") and a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs) while the Sony HX80 has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") along with a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs).

See the Pentax Q-S1 vs Sony HX80 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the Q-S1 vs the HX80.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the Q-S1 and HX80 is 92 and 91 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very tough to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by looking at specs. The picture underneath will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the Q-S1 and HX80.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The Q-S1 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field simpler and the Sony HX80 will resolve extra detail having its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will help you crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged Q-S1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.