• 1/1.7 inch 43.3mm2
  • 12.0 megapixels
  • 28.00mm - 112.00mm (35mm eq.)
  • 35mm 855.6mm2
  • 24.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600

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Differences

Pentax MX-1 advantages over Sony A7 II

  • Internal flash
    Internal flash vs None
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • Integrated ND filter
    Yes vs No
    Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
  • Slow-motion videos
    Yes vs No
    Shoot slow-motion videos

Sony A7 II advantages over Pentax MX-1

  • Focus peaking
    Peaker vs Non-peaker
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Larger sensor
    35mm vs 1/1.7 inch
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Eye-level vs Rear display only
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Bigger pixels
    ~ 5.97 vs 1.90 microns
    Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • Better color depth
    24.9 vs 20.4 bits
    Capture richer, more accurate colors
  • Higher effective ISO
    2,449 vs 208 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • More dynamic range
    13.6 vs 11.2 evs
    Retain detail in highlight and shadows
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Yes vs No
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 350 vs 290 shots
    Capture more photos
  • External Mic Jack
    Jack vs No jack
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • Shoots 24p video
    Yes vs No
    Gives your movies a big-screen feel
  • Hot shoe
    Hot shoe vs None
    Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
  • More pixels
    24.3 vs 12.0 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Headphone jack
    Yes vs No
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    5.0 fps vs 4.0 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    52 vs 10 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Higher extended ISO
    51200 vs 12800 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Rear display
    Both provide
    Review photos on the back of the camera
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Both provide
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • In-camera panoramas
    Both provide
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Tiltable Screen
    Both provide
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • RAW file ability
    Both provide
    Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
  • Manual focus
    Both provide
    AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
  • HDMI out
    Both provide
    Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
  • Bulb shutter
    Both provide
    Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

  • Touchscreen
    Neither provide
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility

User reviews

Buy From

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.

  • Excellent 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization; Sensor-shift IS brings stabilization to nearly any lens; Much-improved ergonomics and top-deck control layout; 'Mark II' maintains same impressive image quality, dynamic range and high ISO performance; XAVC S 50Mbps video format; Faster start-up time; Hybrid AF performs well with good continuous AF.

  • (Similar to A7): Loud shutter (but electronic first-curtain helps); Battery life could be better; Low-light AF still not as good as most DSLRs; High ISO JPEGs look over-processed; Slow buffer clearing; Limited selection of native Sony FE lenses (but it's getting better).

The Competition

Compared to Olympus XZ-2

Pentax MX-1
Olympus XZ-2
  • $400
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • Less expensive
  • Shoots 60p video
  • $470
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • Touchscreen
  • Hot shoe
Sony A7 II
Olympus XZ-2
  • $1175
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $470
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • Touchscreen
  • Internal flash

Compared to Canon G15

Pentax MX-1
Canon G15
  • $400
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • In-camera panoramas
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $650
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • More telephoto lens reach
Sony A7 II
Canon G15
  • $1175
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $650
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • Longer stills battery life
  • Internal flash

Compared to Canon G16

Pentax MX-1
Canon G16
  • $400
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • In-camera panoramas
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $499
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • Focus peaking
  • Slower slow-motion
Sony A7 II
Canon G16
  • $1175
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
  • $499
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • Less expensive
  • Longer stills battery life

Compared to Sony A7

Pentax MX-1
Sony A7
  • $400
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Internal flash
  • $819
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
Sony A7 II
Sony A7
  • $1175
  • 35mm
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • $819
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive

Compared to Sony A7 III

Pentax MX-1
Sony A7 III
  • $400
  • 1/1.7 inch
  • In-camera panoramas
  • Internal flash
  • $1865
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
Sony A7 II
Sony A7 III
  • $1175
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • In-camera panoramas
  • $1865
  • 35mm
  • Shoot 4K video
  • Touchscreen
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