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Canon G1 X III vs Pentax Q-S1 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 Q-S1

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Pentax Q-S1
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Canon G1 X III vs Pentax Q-S1 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 Q-S1, which was introduced in August 2014 is a Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a 12.0MP 1/1.7' sensor. As you can see, Q-S1 is 3 years older than G1 X III. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Comparing an interchangeble lens camera to a fixed lens camera is a bit tricky but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1 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 Q-S1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-08-04
  • 12MP - 1/1.7' BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Pentax Q Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 203g. 105 x 58 x 34 mm

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III over Pentax Q-S1
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Tiltable Flash
Yes vs No Bounce built-in flash off the ceiling
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 12 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 460k dots 126% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
9.0fps vs 5.0fps 4 fps faster
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Flash Coverage
9.0m vs 4.9m 4.1m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
13.84µm2 vs 3.46µm2 300% larger pixel area
Built-in ND Filter
3.0-stops vs No Use larger aperture under strong light
Selfie & Vlogger LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
CHECK G1 X III PRICE


Reasons to choose Pentax Q-S1 over Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
Max Mech. Shutter
1/8000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Battery Life
250 shots vs 200 shots 50 more frames with a single charge
Weight
203 g vs 399 g 196 g lighter
CHECK Q-S1 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and Pentax Q-S1
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Sensor-shift Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and Pentax Q-S1
Canon G1 X III vs Pentax Q-S1: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1 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 Q-S1 has external dimensions of 105 x 58 x 34 mm (4.13 x 2.28 x 1.34″) and weighs 203 g (0.45 lb / 7.16 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Canon G1 X III and the Pentax Q-S1. Pentax Q-S1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 20mm shorter and 17mm thinner than Canon G1 X III. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Canon G1 X III has a built-in lens but Pentax Q-S1 doesn't. Once you put a lens on Q-S1, its thickness will increase significantly.

Canon G1 X III vs Pentax Q-S1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1.

Canon G1 X III vs Pentax Q-S1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1.
Canon G1 X III vs Pentax Q-S1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax Q-S1 is significantly lighter (196g ) than the Canon G1 X III 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 Q-S1, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

With its weather sealed body, we believe that the G1 X III has a big advantage over the Q-S1 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

On the other hand, Canon G1 X III sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Pentax Q-S1's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to G1 X III.


Canon G1 X III vs Pentax Q-S1: 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 Q-S1 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7' (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Q Engine processor.

Canon G1 X III's sensor provides 12MP more than Pentax Q-S1's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the G1 X III and Q-S1 sensor size comparison.

Canon G1 X III vs Pentax Q-S1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1 Cameras


As seen above, Canon G1 X III has a 8.0x Larger sensor area than Pentax Q-S1. 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 Q-S1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon G1 X III and Pentax Q-S1 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 Q-S1 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
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
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Pentax Q-S1 for Street Photography

GOOD
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
Image Stabilization
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Medium sized Body
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax Q-S1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Daily Photography

GOOD

Pentax Q-S1 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
203g
Medium size Body
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Canon G1 X III for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax Q-S1 for Landscape Photography

POOR
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
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon G1 X III vs Pentax Q-S1: 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 Q-S1, 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 Q-S1 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 Q-S1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #63 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #329 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Canon G1 X III is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Pentax Q-S1 in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Canon G1 X III.

Canon G1 X III
Canon G1 X III
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Pentax Q-S1
Pentax Q-S1
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Pentax Q-S1 vs Canon G1 X III Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III Pentax Q-S1
Brand Canon Pentax
Announced 2017-10-25 2014-08-04
Body Type Large sensor compact Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Size APS-C 1/1.7'
Dimensions 22.3 x 14.9 mm 7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area 332.27mm2 41.52mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 12 Megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 12,800 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 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Pentax Q
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 Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Viewfinder Resolution 2,360k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/8000s
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) 4.90 m (at ISO 100)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 9.0 fps 5.0 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 None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 399g 203g
Dimensions 115 x 78 x 51mm 105 x 58 x 34mm
Battery Life 200 shots 250 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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