Pentax XG-1
- 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 3200
- Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 24-1248mm (F2.8-5.6) lens
- 567g - 119 x 89 x 98mm
- Released July 2014
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
66 Imaging
40 Features
37 Overall
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Pentax XG-1 summary
Pentax XG-1 is Pentax's Small Sensor Superzoom digital camera initially announced on July of 2014. The camera comes with a 16MP, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" size sensor with a full resolution of 4608 x 3456.
The XG-1 is rated #150 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and over-all #757 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our collection. Please try out our Advanced camera filter to get camera results based on your personal requirements.
The following is a chart of specific factors used in the rating system.
Pentax XG-1 history
The Pentax XG-1 is part of a family of cameras. You can view the detailed list below.
F2.8-5.616MP1/2.3"2014
Pentax XG-1 Gallery
You can view the XG-1 from several angles in the gallery underneath.
Pentax XG-1 Pros and Cons
Here is a shortlist of positives and negatives of the Pentax XG-1 based on features that are usually regarded as crucial in a digital camera.
Pentax XG-1 Sensor specs
The sensor specification in the Pentax XG-1 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera boasts Image Stabilization (Sensor-shift). Sensor stabilization is superior than digital stabilization as the latter can easily cause cropping.
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a LandslideThe BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 16MP and gives a standard ISO range of 100 - 3200. Sadly, RAW photos are not supported therefore the user has less room to maneuver in post.
The image below illustrates the XG-1's sensor size compared to other popular sizes. The XG-1 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is showcased in green.
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created ImagesTo get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.
Pentax XG-1 dimensions
Pentax XG-1 has a weight of 1.25 lbs (567g / 20.00 ounces) and features outside dimensions of 119mm x 89mm x 98mm (4.7" x 3.5" x 3.9"). The weight of average Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387g so the Pentax XG-1 is more heavy compared to its competitors.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthThe following is a photo of the Pentax XG-1 alongside a soda so you're able to have a sense of its size.
The top view directly below will show the button design on the XG-1.
Pentax XG-1 Lens details
The XG-1 includes a built in lens giving a focal range of 24-1248mm giving it a 52.0 x zoom which is perfect and could let you zoom right in.
At it's widest 24mm, the lens will have an aperture of f2.8 making it pretty sluggish and not ideal in low light conditions and you might struggle to capture a shallow depth of field. You will probably also need to boost your ISO giving you noisy shots. With the long end, 1248mm is phenomenal zoom and comes at f5.6 which is quite slow and you may have to go with slower shutter speeds.
Pentax XG-1 Connectivity
The XG-1 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- Wireless Yes
Digital cameras that consist of NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You can easily copy images and oftentimes alter camera settings without connecting physically with the camera.
A few apps also allow a Liveview and release the shutter whenever you are not near the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI out, it could be attached to an external display. A lot of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack through the USB port.
Pentax XG-1 Video details
The highest possible video quality in the Pentax XG-1 is 1920 x 1080 and it can save in Motion JPEG file format. 1080p quality gives you an excellent balance for video quality vs file size but 1080p isn't going to leave you with much room to crop. The body does not offer a mic and / or headphone jack which means that you get zero control over your sound. It is perhaps a better idea to buy a different camera should you require decent sound in your videos.
Pentax XG-1 Weather Sealing
There is no environment sealing in the Pentax XG-1 so you have to be careful in rainy or dusty conditions.
Pentax XG-1 Screen and Viewfinder
The Pentax XG-1 comes with a 3 inch fixed display with a resolution of 460 thousand dots.
Please be aware that the display screen offers no touch support.
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or banThe ViewFinder specifications regarding Pentax XG-1 are the following:
- ViewFinder Electronic
- Resolution 200 thousand dots
In those bright outdoor conditions that make the camera displays washed out and tricky to view, viewfinders will be rather useful.
Pentax XG-1 Shutter details
Pentax XG-1 has the capability to shoot continuously at 9.0 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/2000s.
Pentax XG-1 Flash and Hot shoe details
Pentax XG-1 boasts just inbuilt flash with no external flash support.
Pentax XG-1 Autofocusing details
Pentax XG-1 has no Auto focusing. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more quicker & accurate compared to Contrast Based focusing.
Pentax XG-1 has manual focusing in case it is needed for low light scenarios or you need more accurate focusing control.
Pentax XG-1 Battery life
The battery life (LB-060) in the Pentax XG-1 is made to last for 240 shots based on the CIPA requirements making it lesser as compared to its rivals. The average Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR features the best (600) battery life for this type of cameras.
Listed below is a collection of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras with the best battery life:
Pentax XG-1 for varying kinds of photography
The following chart indicates a rundown of the Pentax XG-1 for varying kinds of photography. To find out more, scroll to the specific paragraph below.
Pentax XG-1 Portrait photography info
The Pentax XG-1 gets a points total of 40 which is bad, and means the camera is not really appropriate for portrait photography. Photographing portrait photos leans greatly towards sensor resolution, support for RAW photos plus the capability to utilize off-camera lighting.
Pentax XG-1 Street photography details
Getting a bad rating of 43, the Pentax XG-1 is not really appropriate for street photography. A decent street photography camera gives a perfect balance of picture quality plus portability.
Pentax XG-1 Sports photography information
A bad sports photography points tally of 45 indicates the Pentax XG-1 is not really appropriate for photographing sports. A camera must have excellent autofocus plus continuous shooting for sports photography.
Pentax XG-1 Travel photography details
Size is pretty important when picking a travel camera. In general, the Pentax XG-1 gets a decent 52 as a travelling camera which is relatively suitable for your vacations.
Pentax XG-1 as a Landscape photography camera
For anyone who is planning to buy a camera for landscape pictures, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Pentax XG-1 and it's bad score of 45 as a landscape camera is not really appropriate amongst its competition.
Pentax XG-1 as a Vlogging camera
A camera for vlogging preferably should have a articulating screen, mic port and preferably image stabilization. Considering every thing, the Pentax XG-1 is not really appropriate as a vlog camera as it receives a bad score of 25.
Pentax XG-1 Alternatives
If you are interested in replacements to the XG-1, here is a list of the top placed cameras that fall into the class of Small Sensor Superzoom.
The graph listed below shows you a summary of the XG-1 compared to it's highest scored rivals suggested above.
There are a bunch of cameras you may consider as alternate options. To browse through a full comparison, just click on the "compare" link.