Pentax MX-1 vs Olympus Stylus 1

Cameras
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Pentax MX-1 vs Olympus Stylus 1

1/1.7 inch 43.3mm²
12.0 megapixels
28.00mm - 112.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Pentax MX-1 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the MX-1.

1/1.7 inch 43.3mm²
12.0 megapixels
28.00mm - 300.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Olympus Stylus 1 Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus Stylus 1 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the Stylus 1.
Compare Olympus Stylus 1 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus Stylus 1 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Olympus Stylus 1s
Compare Stylus 1 vs Stylus 1s
Compare Pentax MX-1 vs Olympus Stylus 1s

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Differences

Pentax MX-1 advantages over Olympus Stylus 1

Less expensive
$500 vs $700 (MSRP)
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Larger lens aperture
f/1.8 vs f/2.8
Take photos in low-light or isolate your subject
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
MX-1 test data on DxO Mark Stylus 1 test data on DxO Mark

208 vs 179 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/2000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Olympus Stylus 1 advantages over Pentax MX-1

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Slower slow-motion
240 fps vs 120 fps
Supports slower slow-mo
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~1.30 vs 2.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
More telephoto lens reach
300 mm vs 112 mm
Capture objects farther away
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

410 vs 290 shots
Capture more photos
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 10 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Similarities

Common Strengths

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Tiltable Screen
Both provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
Integrated ND filter
Both provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Slow-motion videos
Both provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

Common Weaknesses

NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
External Mic Jack
Neither provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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All Stylus 1 Deals

Review Excerpt

Good image quality for a compact camera in its class; Sharp, bright f/1.8-2.5 lens with 4x optical zoom; Cool retro-styled design with brass top and bottom plates; Tilting LCD; Exposure compensation dial; Speedy and accurate autofocus; Full HD video recording.
Image detail starts dropping off noticeably above ISO 800, and noise becomes problematic at ISO 3200 and beyond; Sluggish cycle times and burst performance; Issues with purple fringing in some shooting scenarios; Heavier and larger than other cameras in its class.
Read our Pentax MX-1 Express Review

High-quality constant aperture 10.7x zoom lens with excellent performance; Very affordable for what it delivers; Ergonomically sound with a solid, professional feel; Highly customizable; Fast overall performance; Built-in EVF and tilting touchscreen LCD; Automatic lens cap.
Smaller sensor size than 1-inch and Micro Four Thirds models mean far lower image quality as ISO tops 800; 28mm eq. is not as wide as some competitors and not overly suited for landscape photography.
Read our Olympus Stylus 1 Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon P7100

Pentax MX-1

Nikon P7100

$1289
1/1.7 inch

In-camera panoramas
Larger lens aperture

$500
1/1.7 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Pentax MX-1 vs Nikon P7100

Olympus Stylus 1

Nikon P7100

$449
1/1.7 inch

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$500
1/1.7 inch

Less expensive
Shoots 24p video

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Nikon P7100

Compared to Olympus XZ-2

Pentax MX-1

Olympus XZ-2

$1289
1/1.7 inch

Less expensive
Shoots 60p video

$470
1/1.7 inch

Touchscreen
Hot shoe

Compare Pentax MX-1 vs Olympus XZ-2

Olympus Stylus 1

Olympus XZ-2

$449
1/1.7 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$470
1/1.7 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Olympus XZ-2

Compared to Canon G15

Pentax MX-1

Canon G15

$1289
1/1.7 inch

In-camera panoramas
Tiltable Screen

$650
1/1.7 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Pentax MX-1 vs Canon G15

Olympus Stylus 1

Canon G15

$449
1/1.7 inch

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$650
1/1.7 inch

Less expensive
Larger lens aperture

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Canon G15

Compared to Canon G16

Pentax MX-1

Canon G16

$1289
1/1.7 inch

In-camera panoramas
Tiltable Screen

$499
1/1.7 inch

Focus peaking
Slower slow-motion

Compare Pentax MX-1 vs Canon G16

Olympus Stylus 1

Canon G16

$449
1/1.7 inch

Touchscreen
Tiltable Screen

$499
1/1.7 inch

Larger lens aperture
Higher effective ISO

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Canon G16

Compared to Olympus Stylus 1s

Pentax MX-1

Olympus Stylus 1s

$1289
1/1.7 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

$549
1/1.7 inch

Slower slow-motion
Focus peaking

Compare Pentax MX-1 vs Olympus Stylus 1s

Olympus Stylus 1

Olympus Stylus 1s

$449
1/1.7 inch

Faster JPEG shooting

$549
1/1.7 inch

Compare Olympus Stylus 1 vs Olympus Stylus 1s

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