Pentax WG-3 vs Sony Cyber-shot WX80: Compact Cameras in Close Quarters

Choosing between compact cameras these days can feel like navigating a labyrinth - especially when models tick similar spec boxes but serve very different photographic goals. Today, I’m diving deep into two rivals from the early 2010s that still hold interest for enthusiasts craving ruggedness or versatile zoom in pocket-sized forms: the rugged Pentax WG-3 and the slim-and-zoomy Sony WX80. Both announced in 2013, these cameras target entry-level users but come from very different design philosophies. Let’s explore how they stack up in real-world performance across major photography disciplines, technical merits, and overall value.

Whether you’re an adventure enthusiast eyeing waterproof toughness or a casual snapper looking for versatile reach, I’ll dissect strengths and weaknesses so you can decide which suits your style best.

Size, Build & Handling: Ruggedness vs Sleekness

First impressions often rest on feel and ergonomics - crucial for long shoots or travel days. The Pentax WG-3 is a chunkier beast, crafted to endure and keep shooting against the elements. Its dimensions measure 124 x 64 x 33 mm, weighing in at 230 g, which places it firmly as a “rugged compact” (not pocket skinny but travel-capable). By contrast, the Sony WX80 is notably smaller and lighter (92 x 52 x 22 mm, 124 g), emphasizing portability.

The WG-3’s body is wrapped in environmental sealing, making it waterproof (up to 10 meters), dustproof, shockproof (1.5 m drop tested), freezeproof, and crushproof - essentially a digital tank for adventure photographers. Its robust rubberized grips and prominent shutter button invite confident one-handed operation, even with gloves. Sony’s WX80, meanwhile, has a sleek, glossy plastic body that screams “slim travel companion,” but there’s zero weather sealing.

On the control front, neither camera offers extensive manual dials or an EVF - just compact simplicity. Still, the WG-3 edges ahead with a tougher build and user-friendly buttons designed for wet or rough conditions.

Looking at the top view layout…

…the WG-3 has dedicated buttons for wide-angle control and macro shooting - features that enthusiasts shooting close-ups or underwater will appreciate. Sony’s WX80 opts for a minimalist design with fewer specialized buttons but a more traditional playback and mode-dial setup. The WG-3’s inclusion of hardware buttons over menus feels more intuitive in action.

Bottom line: If rugged durability matters, Pentax WG-3 takes this round. For pocket-friendly, everyday carry, the WX80 is more discreet and slim.

Sensor and Image Quality: Who Captures the Details?

Both cameras use similar 16MP 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensors with an anti-aliasing filter, so you’d expect comparable image detail at base ISO. Let’s unpack the nuances.

While the sensor size and resolution match closely, the WG-3’s optics open wider at f/2.0 on the wide end (versus WX80’s f/3.3), promising better low-light gathering and shallower depth of field. This can be invaluable for portraits or creative bokeh. The WG-3 maxes out at ISO 6400 native, while Sony caps at 3200 but offers ISO 12800 boosted (though expect noise).

Image stabilization is also notably different: the WG-3 employs sensor-shift (mechanical) stabilization, often more effective across wider focal lengths and in macro shooting, while Sony uses optical stabilization in the lens, which excels at telephoto but is less effective close-in.

I conducted side-by-side shooting of portraits, landscapes, and macro subjects - the WG-3’s files show slightly richer colors and reduced noise at higher ISO, thanks in part to the wider aperture lens and robust stabilization. However, Sony’s longer 8x zoom brings more framing flexibility, albeit with softer images and vignetting at full telephoto.

For a glance at the usable dynamic range and color fidelity, observe these sample shots from both cameras:

Pentax WG 3 front Pentax WG 3 screen back Sony WX80 front Sony WX80 screen back

Here, Pentax WG-3 shines on skin tones and natural colors with its splash-proof coating preserving contrast in harsh sunlight. Sony WX80’s longer zoom helps capture distant scenes well but struggles a bit in textured shadows and highlights.

Display and User Interface: Your Window to the World

Reviewing image composition and navigating menus depends heavily on the screen, especially with no viewfinder on either camera. The WG-3 sports a 3-inch 460K-dot wide TFT LCD with an anti-reflective coating - bright and usable even in direct sunlight, a boon for outdoor shooting. The WX80 has a slightly smaller 2.7-inch 230K-dot LCD, which is significantly dimmer and less crisp.

I found myself straining to distinguish fine details on the Sony screen in bright conditions - a frustrating impediment on location. Meanwhile, the Pentax’s larger, brighter screen provided confident framing and instant feedback. Neither camera uses touchscreen, but the WG-3 does have basic face detection autofocus, and the menus feel marginally more modern and snappier.

The WG-3 also supports some handy features like timelapse recording, which Sony lacks entirely.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Catching the Action

Neither of these compacts rivals today’s mirrorless or DSLR autofocus systems, but they serve different use cases.

The WG-3 provides 9 autofocus points, including face detection and contrast-detection autofocus. It can track moving subjects moderately well but suffers in low light. Sony’s autofocusing system is less documented but is contrast-detection based with an unknown number of focus points. It also uses face detection and center-weighted focus.

Both cameras offer continuous shooting at 10 fps, which sounds impressive until you realize buffer sizes and autofocus during burst mode limit real-world usability.

For action and wildlife, I tested both cameras shooting backyard birds and street performers. The WG-3’s AF struggled a bit with fast birds, but the wide-angle lens helped capture more of the scene. The WX80’s 8x zoom reached further but hunted aggressively on autofocus and occasionally missed quick movement.

In sports or wildlife photography, neither camera can replace dedicated super-zooms or mirrorless systems, but for casual fast shooting, the WG-3’s AF felt slightly more reliable.

Lens and Zoom Versatility: Wide vs Telephoto

Sony clearly aims to wow with reach: a fixed 28–224 mm equivalent lens offering 8x optical zoom. The Pentax WG-3 instead has a shorter 25–100 mm (4x zoom) but with that killer f/2.0 aperture wide open.

This trade-off affects many shooting styles:

• Portraits: WG-3’s wider aperture and shorter zoom make softer backgrounds and better subject isolation easier. Its macro focus start at 1 cm rivals specialized shooters.

• Wildlife/Telephoto: WX80’s longer zoom out to 224 mm captures distant subjects remarkably better. Ideal if you prefer telephoto reach over aperture.

• Macro: WG-3’s 1 cm minimum focus distance and optical stabilization win hands down for close-up nature photography.

• Landscapes: Both have wide-angle in the 25–28 mm range, but the WG-3’s improved lens sharpness and weather resistance are advantageous outdoors.

If zoom versatility is your priority, Sony’s 8x range wins. If aperture and close focusing matter, Pentax dominates.

Weatherproofing and Durability: Adventure Ready vs Everyday Use

Pentax’s WG-3 isn’t just splashproof - it’s built to survive outright immersion, dust storms, freezing hikes, and heavy impacts. The full environmental sealing adds peace of mind on mountain trails or underwater snorkeling.

Sony’s WX80 lacks any weather sealing, making it more prone to damage in harsher environments. Its lighter construction is better suited for urban or casual travel photography rather than extreme conditions.

If you’re pondering rugged or adventure uses, WG-3 is essentially the only contender here.

Battery Life and Storage: Reliability on the Go

Both cameras use proprietary battery packs, with similar manufacturer-rated life (around 240 shots per charge). In real testing, the WG-3’s sturdier build comes at a slight battery cost, but you can carry spares easily thanks to standard D-LI92 or NP-BN packs.

Storage-wise, Pentax uses SD cards exclusively, whereas Sony accepts SD plus Memory Stick formats, offering more flexibility for those invested in Sony’s ecosystem.

Video Capabilities: Steady Hand, Decent Footage

Pentax’s WG-3 records Full HD 1080p video at 30 fps (MPEG-4/H.264), with electronic image stabilization helping smooth out hand jitters. There’s also a 720p mode at 60 fps for smoother motion.

Sony WX80 ups the ante slightly with 1080p at 60 fps, 1440 x 1080 at 60/30 fps, and legacy VGA modes, providing more options for smoother slow-motion or casual videos.

Neither camera has microphone or headphone jacks, which rules out professional audio, but both are fine for quick clips.

Pentax offers timelapse recording (an enthusiast favorite), absent on Sony.

If video in rugged or travel conditions matters, WG-3 wins on stabilization and sealing, while WX80 provides more frame rate versatility.

Specialized Photography Applications: From Macro to Night

• Portraits: WG-3’s f/2.0 lens and sensor-shift IS produce more flattering skin tones and pleasing bokeh.

• Landscapes: Both are capable, but WG-3’s weather sealing allows shooting in rain and snow, expanding possibilities.

• Wildlife/Sports: WX80’s longer zoom is beneficial but autofocus limitations hinder fast action capture. WG-3’s burst modes are more usable, but field of view is shorter.

• Street Photography: WX80’s compact, lighter body excels here for discreet shooting.

• Macro: WG-3’s 1 cm focus beat WX80’s 5 cm minimum considerably.

• Night/Astro: Neither excels given small sensor sizes, but WG-3 better copes with noise at ISO 6400 versus WX80’s max 3200 native.

• Travel: WG-3’s ruggedness counters its size; WX80’s slim form favors casual tourism.

• Professional Work: Both lack RAW output and pro-level controls, limiting serious professional uses.

For a full genre-specific performance breakout:

Connectivity and Extras

Both cameras feature basic wireless capabilities, with Pentax WG-3 supporting Eye-Fi cards (now legacy) and Sony WX80 having built-in Wi-Fi for faster image transfer. Neither offers Bluetooth or NFC, which may frustrate users wanting easy smartphone connectivity.

Physical ports include USB 2.0 and HDMI on both, though no external microphones or flash mounts.

Overall Performance and Value

Combining all tested facets and shooting experiences:

• Pentax WG-3 scores highest in build, image quality in low light, waterproofing, and macro abilities.
• Sony WX80 scores well for telephoto reach, video frame rate flexibility, everyday carry size, and portability.

Price-wise, both cameras hover around $275-300, making this a close call depending on priorities.

Who Should Buy Which? Tailored Recommendations

Choose the Pentax WG-3 if you:

• Crave a durable, waterproof compact to accompany adventurous shooting (hiking, snorkeling, cycling).
• Value a brighter lens (f/2.0) for portraits and low-light scenarios.
• Need strong image stabilization for handheld macro or video.
• Want a camera that can handle rough treatment without worry.
• Don’t require extreme telephoto reach.

Choose the Sony WX80 if you:

• Prioritize ultra-lightweight, pocket-friendly design for everyday street or travel photography.
• Desire extended 8x zoom to capture distant subjects.
• Prefer slightly more video frame rate options (1080p 60 fps).
• Operate mostly in controlled environments without weather concerns.
• Want basic Wi-Fi for fast image sharing.

Wrapping Up: Small Compacts, Big Personality Differences

In my experience testing thousands of cameras, it’s refreshing to see two 2013-era compacts still relevant for specific niches. The WG-3 stands out as a genuine rugged tool you can trust in tough conditions - a rare find at this price point. Sony’s WX80, meanwhile, packs a punch as a sleek zoom camera for everyday portability.

Neither replaces a mirrorless or DSLR kit for demanding photography, but both can serve as reliable second shooters or travel companions depending on your style and environment.

Before you invest, consider exactly what you photograph most often. Adventure or everyday? Portraits or zoom reach? This comparison isn’t just specs - it’s about matching the camera’s personality with your creative pursuits.

If you want further detailed shots, handling videos, or autofocus behavior demonstrations, visit my full review videos. Trust me, investing time in hands-on comparison is worth every frame captured.

Happy shooting!