Pentax WG-3 vs Sony HX1

Following is a comprehensive assessment of the Pentax WG-3 versus Sony HX1, former is a Waterproof while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Pentax and Sony. There is a noticeable difference among the image resolutions of the WG-3 (16MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the WG-3 (1/2.3") and HX1 (1/2.4") have different sensor measurements.

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The WG-3 was revealed 4 years after the HX1 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Pentax WG-3 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a quick overview of how the WG-3 matches up vs the HX1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax WG-3 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. The full galleries are viewable at Pentax WG-3 Gallery & Sony HX1 Gallery.

When you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you will have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Pentax WG-3 has exterior dimensions of 124mm x 64mm x 33mm (4.9" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs) whilst the Sony HX1 has dimensions of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") along with a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Examine the Pentax WG-3 versus Sony HX1 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the WG-3 against the HX1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the WG-3 and HX1 is 90 and 67 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to picture the difference in sensor sizes only by seeing technical specs. The picture underneath should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the WG-3 and HX1.

As you can tell, both of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The WG-3 using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Pentax WG-3 will show greater detail because of its extra 7 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics more aggressively. The more recent WG-3 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.