Pentax Q vs Sony A3000

Its time to examine more in depth at the Pentax Q and Sony A3000, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by companies Pentax and Sony. There is a large difference among the resolutions of the Q (12MP) and A3000 (20MP) and the Q (1/2.3") and A3000 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The Q was revealed 3 years earlier than the A3000 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Pentax Q being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A3000 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight into a thorough comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the Q matches up versus the A3000 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax Q & Sony Alpha A3000. The full galleries are viewable at Pentax Q Gallery & Sony A3000 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera regularly, you're going to have to think about its weight and size. The Pentax Q enjoys physical dimensions of 98mm x 57mm x 31mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.2") along with a weight of 180 grams (0.40 lbs) and the Sony A3000 has specifications of 128mm x 91mm x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") along with a weight of 411 grams (0.91 lbs).

See the Pentax Q and Sony A3000 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are using during that time. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the Q and the A3000.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the Q and A3000 is 93 and 69 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to envision the gap in sensor dimensions purely by researching a spec sheet. The pic below will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the Q and A3000.

As you can see, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The Q with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony A3000 will provide you with extra detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots much more aggressively. The more aged Q will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.