Pentax X70 vs Samsung WB350F: An In-Depth Comparison of Two Small Sensor Superzooms

When it comes to small sensor superzoom cameras, the Pentax X70 and Samsung WB350F offer compelling options for those who crave versatility in a compact-ish package. Both models are a few years old now - crafted in different eras (2009 and 2014, respectively) - which makes their comparison all the more fascinating for enthusiasts interested in the evolution of bridge cameras and compact superzooms. Having spent countless hours with both cameras, testing their handling, image quality, and overall performance across a variety of photographic genres, I’m eager to share a detailed, no-nonsense analysis.

So let’s take a walk through what each camera brings to the table, how they perform under real-world conditions, and ultimately which one could be your next photographic partner. Grab a coffee, and let’s dive in!

A Tale of Two Bodies: Ergonomics and Design

Before you click the shutter, you need a camera that feels right in your hands - because no amount of geeky specs can replace a great tactile experience.

The Pentax X70 adopts a classic SLR-like bridge camera build, offering a chunky, substantial grip and a thoughtfully designed control layout. It measures roughly 110x83x90mm and weighs in at 410g (excluding battery). Its heft and the rubberized grip make it feel solid and well-balanced, ideal for steady shots with its impressive 24x zoom lens.

On the other hand, the Samsung WB350F leans more towards a compact point-and-shoot aesthetic. It’s thinner and lighter at 276g, with dimensions of 114x65x25mm, making it pocket-friendlier but at the tradeoff of less robust grip ergonomics.

From personal experience, I found the X70’s bulk welcomed during long shooting sessions, especially for wildlife or sports photography where a firm hold reduces fatigue. Meanwhile, the WB350F’s svelte profile wins points for travel and street shooters hankering for discretion and portability - especially without the bulk that screams “camera” from 20 paces.

Looking at the top controls:

The Pentax sports a more extensive array of buttons and dials, including aperture and shutter priority modes, which translates to quicker manual adjustments - a boon for photographers who like to fine-tune exposure on the fly. Samsung’s interface is simpler, with fewer dedicated controls, leaning towards ease of use rather than full manual flexibility.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of The Matter

Both cameras are built around a tiny 1/2.3” sensor measuring 6.17x4.55mm - typical for superzooms of their time. But size isn’t everything; sensor tech and processing matter a great deal.

The Pentax’s CCD sensor offers warm color rendition and respectable ISO performance for its era but lacks RAW file support, limiting post-processing flexibility - a real drawback for demanding shooters. The Samsung employs a more modern BSI-CMOS sensor with higher megapixels (16MP vs. 12MP) aimed at better light sensitivity and faster readouts, which hints at improved image quality in everyday use, especially in daylight.

However, in low-light tests, neither camera excelled beyond their small sensor limits. The Pentax, with a native ISO maxed at 6400, introduced noticeable noise beyond ISO 800, whereas the Samsung’s sensitivity capped at 3200 kept noise fairly controlled, albeit with lower resolution impact.

Color depth and dynamic range are modest on both, which is expected from their class. Neither camera’s files are a must-have for professional prints - more an acceptable compromise for casual to enthusiast-level shooting. Honestly, for those seeking serious image quality, stepping up to larger sensors is fundamental.

Screens and Viewfinders: What You See is What You Get

Displaying your shot and composing accurately is crucial; the X70 and WB350F couldn’t be more different here.

Pentax shows off a fixed 2.7-inch display with only 230k pixels, meaning it’s a little dim and soft - especially in bright outdoor conditions. Its electronic viewfinder is quite basic, lacking detailed resolution specifications, but instrumental in bright light to frame shots when LCD glare becomes impossible.

Samsung opts out of a viewfinder altogether - if you want to shoot, it’s live-view LCD only - and sports a larger, higher-resolution 3-inch touchscreen with 460k pixels. The touchscreen adds versatility with faster menu navigation and focusing - incidentally a feature I wished the Pentax included given its clunkier controls.

The WB350F’s screen lets you tap for autofocus points and flick through menus quickly, which feels natural for users coming from smartphone photography. The Pentax requires more clumsy button presses, which slowed my workflow, especially when switching exposure settings mid-shoot.

Zoom Lenses in Focus: Reach and Aperture

Telescoping zooms are the bread-and-butter of superzoom cameras, and here the Pentax and Samsung bring different flavors.

• Pentax X70: 26-624mm equivalent (24x zoom), f/2.8 to f/5.0 aperture
• Samsung WB350F: 23-483mm equivalent (21x zoom), f/2.8 to f/5.9 aperture

The Pentax’s slightly longer zoom extends into supertelephoto territory, which wins points for wildlife and sports photographers needing reach but without carrying a full DSLR with big lenses. The wider aperture on the tele end (f/5 vs. f/5.9) also helps in lower light.

Both lenses offer decent close-up capabilities, with the Pentax boasting a 10cm macro range - ideal for flower and product photography. Samsung does not specify macro distance clearly, which made it less effective in my tests at close focusing.

Image stabilization is present in both but via different tech:

• Pentax uses sensor-shift stabilization, physically moving the sensor to offset shake. This can be more effective at longer zooms.
• Samsung relies on optical stabilization within the lens itself.

In practice, the Pentax’s stabilization felt more reliable at slower shutter speeds, especially when shooting handheld at full zoom. Samsung’s stabilizer was competent but occasionally less consistent.

Autofocus and Shooting Responsiveness

Neither camera targets professional action photographers, but autofocus speed and accuracy still matter for casual sports, wildlife, and even street photography.

Pentax X70's autofocus system features nine phase-detection points but only supports single-shot AF with live view contrast detection disabled. This means it struggles with moving subjects and lacks continuous tracking or face detection. In my field tests, autofocus was a bit hesitant and slower, leading to missed fleeting moments.

Conversely, Samsung WB350F’s AF relies purely on contrast detection and doesn't offer face detection or tracking. I found it somewhat quicker in contrast-rich environments but still unsuitable for fast-moving subjects or tracking. Neither camera supports burst shooting or continuous AF modes, limiting their utility for action photography.

Video Capabilities: Modest but Functional

Video is increasingly a key factor, even in stills-centric cameras. Here, Samsung clearly takes the cake.

• Pentax X70 offers HD video at 1280x720p /30fps in Motion JPEG format.
• Samsung WB350F delivers Full HD 1920x1080p recording but specifics on codec formats are not well documented.

The WB350F’s higher-resolution video is undoubtedly an advantage, capturing smoother and more detailed footage. Its touchscreen interface also eases video framing and focusing.

Neither camera supports external microphones, headphone jacks, or advanced video features like 4K, slow motion, or in-body audio controls, so content creators should temper expectations accordingly.

Built-in stabilization helps both record stable clips, but the Samsung’s optically stabilized lens tends to give slightly steadier handheld footage.

Battery Life and Storage: Endurance and Convenience

Both cameras employ proprietary lithium-ion batteries:

• Pentax X70 uses the D-LI92 battery.
• Samsung WB350F uses SLB-10A.

Official figures are scarce, but practical use showed the Samsung enduring longer during mixed shooting, perhaps aided by its lighter body and efficient processor architecture.

Storage differs: Pentax supports regular SD/SDHC cards, Samsung restricts to MicroSD variants - worth factoring for users already invested in one or the other type.

None support dual card slots or tethered shooting, which limits professional workflows but is standard for this category.

Real-World Performance: Putting Them Through The Paces

Since specs only tell part of the story, I shot extensive galleries for testing both cameras across diverse scenarios:

• Portraits: The Pentax's 24x zoom lens with reasonably bright aperture allowed isolated focus on faces, but lack of face detection made manual focus more tedious. Samsung's quicker touchscreen AF helped lock focus on eyes more easily but bokeh rendering was less pleasing, partially due to the smaller aperture and sensor size.

• Landscapes: Both delivered sharp images at wide angles; Samsung’s higher resolution yielded tighter detail, but dynamic range remained limited. Neither model had weather sealing, so caution in the field was advised.

• Wildlife & Sports: Pentax’s longer reach gave a clear edge, despite slower AF. Burst shooting absence was a pain; Samsung’s shorter zoom meant cropping in post was necessary.

• Street Photography: Samsung's compact size and discreet profile made it the winner for candid urban shots, especially at wide focal lengths. Pentax's bulk and slower focusing made it less suitable for spontaneous captures.

• Macro: Pentax excelled with close focusing capabilities; Samsung less so.

• Night & Astro: Neither camera shone here. Image noise was excessive beyond ISO 800; long exposure capabilities limited (Pentax max shutter 1/4000s, Samsung max 1/2000s) and no bulb mode.

• Video: Samsung’s full HD capabilities and touchscreen interface made for an easier and more enjoyable video experience.

• Travel: Samsung’s size, weight, and NFC connectivity tip the scales, making it a compelling grab-and-go camera.

Sample Image Gallery

Looking at actual shots side by side lays it all bare:

Pentax X70 front Pentax X70 screen back Samsung WB350F front Samsung WB350F screen back

You can observe the Samsung's better resolution and cleaner JPEG processing in daylight, but the Pentax holds its own with color warmth and zoom versatility.

Overall Performance Ratings and Value

Based on my hands-on testing, here’s a broad strokes performance score breakdown:

Performance by Photography Genre

Diving deeper into how these cameras fit specific needs:

• Portraits: Samsung edges out thanks to touchscreen AF and higher resolution.
• Landscape: Tie, with Samsung’s resolution vs Pentax’s color warmth.
• Wildlife: Pentax’s longer zoom wins.
• Sports: Neither recommended; Pentax slightly better for reach.
• Street: Samsung for compactness and stealth.
• Macro: Pentax for close focusing.
• Night/Astro: Neither suitable.
• Video: Samsung dominates.
• Travel: Samsung for portability.
• Professional Work: Both limited in workflow integration and advanced controls.

Which Camera Should You Buy?

For the Enthusiast Who Wants Reach and Control: Pentax X70

If your priorities are manual control finesse, a longer zoom range, and sturdy build - particularly for wildlife or macro shoots - the Pentax X70 suits you. Its SLR-like ergonomics are a delight for steady, deliberate shooting, although you’ll miss features like RAW support and face detection.

For The Casual Shooter or Traveler: Samsung WB350F

If convenience, video capability, and portability leading to catch-and-share images quickly is your game, the Samsung WB350F is a smarter pick. You gain Full HD video, a handy touchscreen, and lighter weight - great for everyday and street photography.

Final Thoughts

Both the Pentax X70 and Samsung WB350F represent interesting snapshots of small sensor superzoom camera evolution across the 2009-2014 timeframe. Neither compete with today’s mirrorless marvels or smartphones in image quality, but they hold pockets of value for specific use cases.

The Pentax X70 feels like a bridge camera from an era that still prioritized optical zoom reach and manual controls over convenience features. The Samsung WB350F embraces a more modern approach: touchscreen interaction, video capability, and good-enough image quality packed in a slim body.

As always, I encourage you to assess your main photography needs - zoom vs portability, stills vs video, manual control vs ease of use - before deciding. And if you value image quality and performance above all, it might be time to consider newer gear with larger sensors.

Whichever you choose, capturing great moments remains the camera’s ultimate measure. And both these cameras, despite their age and limitations, can still put a smile on the face of a passionate shooter.

Here’s to your next great shot, whatever camera you hold in your hands!