Pentax WG-3 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W690: A Hands-On Battle of Budget Compacts

Choosing the right compact camera can feel like picking a club in a crowded bag - there are so many options, each with their quirks and specialities. Over the last 15 years, I've tested thousands of cameras in my journey from green novice to seasoned gear reviewer. Nothing beats getting your hands dirty with real-world shooting to understand what’s under the hood and whether a camera fits your style, budget, and creative goals.

Today, I’m putting two budget-friendly compacts head-to-head that cater to quite different types of users and shooting scenarios: the rugged Pentax WG-3, and the zoom-happy but more delicate Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W690. Both hover near the $300 mark, but that’s where the similarities stop.

Let’s pull back the curtain on build, performance, image quality, and practical use to help you pick the compact companion that really earns its keep.

Size and Handling: Does Bigger Mean Better?

Right out of the gate, the Pentax WG-3 is no wallflower. Measuring 124 x 64 x 33mm and weighing 230g, it’s chunkier and more substantial than the lithe 94 x 56 x 22mm, 142g Sony W690.

Pentax clearly designed this camera to go off-trail, with thick rubberized grips and buttons you can find without looking - even with gloves. It’s a meaty little beast you won’t worry about dropping.

Sony’s W690 is the opposite: slim, pocketable, and discreet. This is a camera built for slipping into a front pocket or carrying light in a small bag. If you crave minimal footprint and don’t want your camera to announce itself, it's a winner.

Controls on both are basic, echoing their budget compact status, but I appreciated Pentax’s buttons more during my field tests. The WG-3’s buttons are distinct and clicky, engaging confidently even when wet or muddy.

Meanwhile, Sony’s flatter layout is less tactile and feels fiddly under pressure, especially since it lacks any illuminated or textured buttons for orientation in dim light.

Design and Layout: Finding Your Clubs in the Bag

From the top view, you see the design philosophies at play. Pentax WG-3 puts an emphasis on ruggedness and usability. The large zoom lever arcs around the shutter button, and there's a dedicated video button. Notably, there’s no mode dial - exposure settings are largely automatic.

The Sony DSC-W690 packs a longer lens, and hence a bigger zoom rocker - but lacks any manual controls or dedicated video buttons, so you’re largely at the mercy of auto modes.

Pentax offers a better grip and control experience but neither camera offers true manual exposure modes, which shows their intended audience: point-and-shoot users who want simplicity over complexity.

Sensor and Image Quality: More Than Just MP Race

Both cameras share a similar 1/2.3" sensor size and a claimed 16 megapixels resolution, but there are key differences in sensor technology and performance you’ll want to know.

The Pentax WG-3 uses a more modern BSI-CMOS sensor, which tends to perform better in low light due to improved light gathering efficiency. Sony, sticking with the older CCD sensor, still delivers respectable 16MP images but is more prone to noise at higher ISOs.

In lab tests and real shootouts, the WG-3 consistently rendered cleaner images at ISO 800 and beyond, with better dynamic range hints - meaning shadows held more detail and highlights were less prone to blowouts.

Sony’s CCD sensor produces slightly punchier colors “out of camera” (which some users may prefer), but the smaller max ISO of 3200 compared to the WG-3’s 6400 and reduced noise resilience means you’ll need good lighting or a flash for crisp shots.

Also, Pentax’s maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 sec versus Sony’s 1/1600 sec gives you more flexibility for shooting in bright or fast-action scenarios.

Live View and LCD Screens: Your Window to the World

Both cameras feature 3-inch fixed LCD screens, but the Pentax displays a brighter, higher-resolution 460k-dot widescreen TFT with anti-reflective coating, while Sony sticks with a lower-res 230k-dot ClearPhoto TFT.

On the field, the WG-3’s screen was noticeably easier to see under harsh sunlight thanks to that anti-reflective coating. The Sony’s screen often felt washed out or reflective, forcing me to angle the camera awkwardly or rely on post-processing fixes.

Neither camera has a viewfinder, electronic or optical, so you’ll be holding them at arm’s length or relying on the screen. For street photography or quick candid shots, that can feel a bit disconnected.

In terms of interface, both are simplistic, but Pentax’s menus are more logically laid out and responsive. Sony’s menus felt sluggish and cramped, which isn’t great when you want to change settings on the fly.

Lens and Zoom: Flexibility Versus Brightness

When I first looked at these cameras, the obvious difference jumped out: Sony’s 10x zoom (25-250mm equiv.) versus Pentax’s 4x zoom (25-100mm equiv.).

More zoom sounds great on paper - and it is, if you need reach. The W690 will let you snap distant wildlife or sports from the stands better than the Pentax can.

However, zoom isn’t everything. The Pentax WG-3 sports a much faster aperture range beginning at f/2.0 (versus f/3.3 on Sony), which translates to better low-light control and smoother background separation for portraits. At the telephoto end, Pentax’s lens slows to f/4.9 - not crazy slow, but still faster than Sony’s f/5.9.

Pentax also boasts very impressive close focusing ability for macro (down to 1cm) - a inch closer than Sony’s 5cm macro range. The WG-3’s sensor-shift stabilization helps keep those tiny details sharp handheld, which Sony can’t match with optical IS.

Autofocus and Performance: Speed, Accuracy, and Burst

Both cameras use contrast-detection autofocus systems - typical for compacts in this price range. Neither has phase-detection or hybrid systems you'll see in DSLRs or mirrorless cameras.

Pentax offers 9 focus points with 3 special face/center-weighted modes. Sony’s autofocus point count is unspecified but more basic, with center-weighted and multi-area AF.

In my real-world tests, the Pentax’s autofocus felt snappier and more reliable, especially outdoors and in moderately dim light. It also supports limited subject tracking - handy for casual wildlife shots.

Sony’s AF felt sluggish, especially when zoomed in, often hunting back and forth, and locking onto backgrounds rather than intended subjects.

For continuous shooting, Pentax caps at a smooth 10 fps burst - a surprise at this class - while Sony limps along at 1 fps, which is painfully sluggish for any action photography.

Durability and Environmental Resistance: Built for Adventure?

Pentax WG 3 front Pentax WG 3 screen back Sony W690 front Sony W690 screen back

Now, this is where Pentax really flexes its muscles. The WG-3 is waterproof (down to 10m), dustproof, shockproof, crushproof, and freezeproof.

I’ve taken it diving, trekking through rainstorms, and even dropped it (accidentally of course). It shrugged off conditions where most compacts would fold.

Sony W690, on the other hand, offers no weather sealing, so any moisture or dust exposure needs to be avoided like bad photo habits.

For hikers, travelers, or anyone who hates babying their equipment, Pentax’s tank-like durability offers peace of mind - and can save you from expensive repairs.

Battery Life and Storage: How Long Can You Shoot?

Pentax WG-3 uses the D-LI92 battery and scores about 240 shots per charge. Sony’s NP-BN battery, similarly, gives roughly 220 shots.

Neither are marathon runners by DSLR standards, but I found both decent enough for a weekend trip without dragging extra batteries.

Storage-wise, Pentax handles SD/SDHC/SDXC cards plus internal storage, whereas Sony supports SD variants and Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo (Sony’s proprietary format). Memory Stick support is handy if you have existing Sony gear but otherwise adds little benefit.

Video: Casual Clips or Serious Vlogging?

If video matters, Pentax pulls ahead with Full HD (1920x1080) at 30fps capabilities, versus Sony maxing out at 720p. Pentax’s sensor-shift stabilization also helps steady footage.

Sony’s video is serviceable for casual clips but won’t wow you. Neither supports external microphones or headphones, so audio control is basic.

Pentax additionally includes timelapse recording, which Sony lacks, opening creative doors for outdoor and astro photography enthusiasts.

Connectivity and Extras: Wireless and More

Pentax is the only one with wireless connectivity, supporting Eye-Fi cards for Wi-Fi image transfer - a feature surprisingly missing on Sony’s W690.

No Bluetooth, NFC, or GPS on either camera, which is normal for their class.

Pentax includes HDMI output; Sony does not, limiting quick image review on larger screens.

Real-World Shooting Across Genres: What Suits You?

To give the pros and cons some flesh, here’s how these cameras fare across popular photography genres.

Portraits

Pentax WG-3 dark horse here thanks to its bright f/2.0 aperture enabling creamy bokeh and better skin tone rendering in lower light. Its 9-point AF with face detection nails focus on eyes more often.
Sony W690 struggles due to slower lens and weaker AF - good for snapshots but expect more missed focus and flatter backgrounds.

Landscapes

Pentax’s superior dynamic range and weather sealing make it the smart choice outdoors. Smaller zoom is a tradeoff but not disastrous if you plan wider views.
Sony’s larger zoom is tempting for varied compositions, but no sealing and weaker dynamic range make it less reliable on location.

Wildlife

Sony’s 10x zoom tries to win here but suffers due to slow AF and lack of burst speed.
Pentax’s burst of 10fps and better AF improves odds of that quick bird-in-flight shot - if only you had a longer lens.

Sports

Neither camera is a sports specialist, but Pentax edges out with faster shutter and burst. Sony’s 1fps burst makes capturing decisive moments frustrating.

Street

Sony’s small size and lighter weight suit urban shooting and casual snapshots. However, slower AF and lower-res screen limit quick responsiveness.
Pentax’s ruggedness and better AF balance its bulkiness, especially if you shoot in tricky weather.

Macro

Pentax is the macro champ, focusing as close as 1cm with sensor-shift stabilization helping keep stuff tack sharp. Sony’s minimum 5cm macro won’t capture tiny textures as effectively.

Night and Astro

Pentax’s higher ISO ceiling, sensor tech, and timelapse mode give it a fair chance under stars. Sony, with smaller max ISO and noisier images, is less suited for these low-light adventures.

Video

Pentax satisfies casual videographers with Full HD and timelapse; Sony sticks to modest 720p clips.

Travel

Sony’s small footprint and long zoom range appeal to light packers who shoot in safe, predictable conditions.
Pentax better fits rugged travelers who want resilience and flexibility, especially where manual protection gear isn’t practical.

Professional Work

Neither cameras suit heavy professional workflows (no RAW output, limited manual controls), but Pentax offers better reliability, ruggedness, and file quality for casual freelance or backup camera roles.

Tech Deep Dive: Is Form Following Function?

This raw data aligns with my hands-on experiences: Pentax’s sensor tech, aperture speed, AF points, and burst rate give it a clear edge in versatility and image quality.

Build Quality Verdict

Pentax’s rugged design is more than marketing fluff; this thing survived multiple submersions, drops, and dust storms during my testing.

Sony’s W690, while decent for casual use, just doesn’t hold up when the weather or conditions get rough. Its plastic-heavy construction makes for lighter carry but less confidence in durability.

Price and Value: Cheapskate or Smart Shopper?

Interestingly, both these cameras list for just around $300, which is a steal for features offered but also means corners are cut.

Pentax packs more tech, ruggedness, and flexibility, translating to better value for adventurous shooters or those who demand more from a compact.

Sony might appeal to those who prize zoom range and compactness over robustness and image quality - maybe perfect for cheapskates on sunny holidays who zoom into Parisian café scenes but handle their kit gingerly.

Final Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which?

Buy the Pentax WG-3 if you:

• Need a compact that can survive the elements and rough handling
• Prefer better low-light and macro performance
• Want faster autofocus and burst shooting
• Shoot video in Full HD with stabilization
• Value image quality and reliability over maximum zoom

Choose the Sony DSC-W690 if you:

• Want the longest zoom range in the smallest package
• Shoot mainly in good light and casual scenarios
• Prioritize portability over ruggedness
• Don’t mind slower autofocus and limited video specs

Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses

Wrapping It Up

After spending weeks switching between these two cameras in environments from urban streets to lakeside trails, the choice is clear if you know your priorities.

The Pentax WG-3 comes out as the more capable, well-rounded compact that can tackle a wider range of photography challenges - particularly outdoors and low light - thanks to its sensor tech, ruggedness, and zoom-speed balance.

The Sony W690 suits the casual snapshooter who prioritizes an ultra-compact design and a superzoom, planned for mostly good-weather vacations and snapshots - like bringing a zooming pocket camera to the clubs for thumbs.

Neither will replace your professional DSLR or mirrorless system, but both carve out their own niche. Your decision boils down to whether you want adventure-proof toughness with solid image quality or a slim, sunny-day zoomer with few frills.

Hopefully, this comparison has helped you pull out the camera that best fits your own photography “club set” and creative ambitions. Happy shooting, and remember: the best camera is always the one you bring with you!

If you'd like to see sample images and test files from both cameras to judge sharpness and color rendering yourself, feel free to drop me a line. Sharing real-world photos is my favorite way to help fellow enthusiasts get a feel beyond specs and charts.

Safe travels and sharp clicks!