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Canon G1 X III vs Pentax K-S2 Comparison

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Canon G1 X III

24 MP | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon G1 X III
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Pentax K-S2

20 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

Pentax K-S2
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Canon G1 X III vs Pentax K-S2 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Canon G1 X III, which was introduced in October 2017 is a Large Sensor Compact camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Pentax K-S2, which was introduced in February 2015 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 20.0MP APS-C sensor. As you can see, K-S2 is 2 years older than G1 X III. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison. Fortunately, you can't go wrong with any of these cameras as we rank them amongst Top 10 cameras in their classes. Canon G1 X III is ranked #6 out of 64 Large Sensor Compact cameras with an overall score of 69 whereas Pentax K-S2 is ranked #1 out of 82 Entry-Level DSLR cameras with an overall score of 73.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon G1 X III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-10-25
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 24-72 mm F2.8-5.6 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 9.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 399g. 115 x 78 x 51 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Compare

Pentax K-S2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-02-10
  • 20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 51200
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 5.4fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 678g. 91 x 123 x 73 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Pentax K-S1 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III over Pentax K-S2
Tiltable Flash
Yes vs No Bounce built-in flash off the ceiling
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 20 MP 19% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
49 vs 11 38 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
9.0fps vs 5.4fps 3.6 fps faster
Weight
399 g vs 678 g 279 g lighter
Built-in ND Filter
3.0-stops vs No Use larger aperture under strong light
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
CHECK G1 X III PRICE


Reasons to choose Pentax K-S2 over Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
Max ISO
51.200 vs 25.600 100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter
1/6000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
410 shots vs 200 shots 210 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Flash Coverage
12.0m vs 9.0m 3m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
18.37µm2 vs 13.84µm2 32% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±3 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Anti Alias Filter Simulator
Yes vs No Turn on Anti Alias filter effect to minimise moiré
CHECK K-S2 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and Pentax K-S2
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Adjustable LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fully Articulated Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
24 MP vs 20 MP Bigger prints and more details
Max Continuous Shooting
9.0fps vs 5.4fps Fast shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs Yes Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
NFC Connection
Yes vs Yes Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and Pentax K-S2
Canon G1 X III vs Pentax K-S2: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon G1 X III has external dimensions of 115 x 78 x 51 mm (4.53 x 3.07 x 2.01″) and weighs 399 g (0.88 lb / 14.07 oz) (including batteries). Pentax K-S2 has external dimensions of 91 x 123 x 73 mm (3.58 x 4.84 x 2.87″) and weighs 678 g (1.49 lb / 23.92 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2. Canon G1 X III is 45mm shorter and 22mm thinner than Pentax K-S2 but it is also 24mm wider. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon G1 X III has a built-in lens but Pentax K-S2 doesn't. Once you put a lens on K-S2, its thickness will increase significantly.

Canon G1 X III vs Pentax K-S2 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2.

Canon G1 X III vs Pentax K-S2 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2.
Canon G1 X III vs Pentax K-S2 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon G1 X III is significantly lighter (279g ) than the Pentax K-S2 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on K-S2, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Both G1 X III and K-S2 have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Both cameras feature Fully Articulating screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. Fully articulating screens are also useful for taking Selfie shots and video.


Canon G1 X III vs Pentax K-S2: Sensor Comparison

Canon G1 X III has a 24.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 7 processor. On the other hand, Pentax K-S2 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features PRIME MII processor.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Pentax K-S2's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the G1 X III and K-S2 sensor size comparison.

Canon G1 X III vs Pentax K-S2 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 Cameras


As seen above, Pentax K-S2 has a 1.1x Larger sensor area than Canon G1 X III. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon G1 X III for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Pentax K-S2 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Pentax K-S2 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Large Body
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-S2 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Environmental Sealings
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
72 mm Tele Lens
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/6000s
11 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.4fps
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Daily Photography

GOOD

Pentax K-S2 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
399g
Body Thickness 51mm
3.0X Optical Zoom
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
678g
Body Thickness 73mm
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-S2 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon G1 X III vs Pentax K-S2: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon G1 X III and Pentax K-S2 scores compare:

Canon G1 X III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 62 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #154 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Pentax K-S2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #1 out of 80 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #101 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Pentax K-S2 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon G1 X III in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Canon G1 X III. Otherwise, Pentax K-S2 is the better camera overall.

Canon G1 X III
Canon G1 X III
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Pentax K-S2
Pentax K-S2
CHECK PRICE

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Pentax K-S2 vs Canon G1 X III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III Pentax K-S2
Brand Canon Pentax
Announced 2017-10-25 2015-02-10
Body Type Large sensor compact Compact SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 22.3 x 14.9 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
Area 332.27mm2 366.60mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 51,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 49 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Pentax KAF2
Lens Focal Range 24-72 mm (3x) no lens
Max Aperture F2.8-5.6 no lens
Macro Focus Range 10cm no lens
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fully Articulated
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.64x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/6000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 9.00 m (at Auto ISO) 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 9.0 fps 5.4 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 399g 678g
Dimensions 115 x 78 x 51mm 91 x 123 x 73mm
Battery Life 200 shots 410 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
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