Pentax ist DS2 vs Sony RX1R

Here, we are comparing the Pentax ist DS2 versus Sony RX1R, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Pentax and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the ist DS2 (6MP) and RX1R (24MP) and the ist DS2 (APS-C) and RX1R (Full frame) boast totally different sensor measurements.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The ist DS2 was launched 8 years before the RX1R and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony RX1R being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the ist DS2 grades vs the RX1R with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax ist DS2 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R. The complete galleries are provided at Pentax ist DS2 Gallery & Sony RX1R Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and measurements. The Pentax ist DS2 has outer measurements of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs) while the Sony RX1R has proportions of 113mm x 65mm x 70mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 2.8") with a weight of 482 grams (1.06 lbs).

See the Pentax ist DS2 versus Sony RX1R in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have at the time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the ist DS2 vs the RX1R.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the ist DS2 and RX1R is 68 and 79 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to see the contrast in sensor sizing just by looking through technical specs. The graphic below should give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the ist DS2 and RX1R.

As you have seen, both of those cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ist DS2 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Sony RX1R will result in extra detail utilizing its extra 18 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos way more aggressively. The older ist DS2 will be behind in sensor tech.