Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-10 Comparison

Camera to replace

Change

Pentax WG-3

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

CHECK PRICE

Change

Olympus XZ-10

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

CHECK PRICE

Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-10 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Pentax WG-3, which was introduced in July 2013 is a Waterproof camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Olympus XZ-10, which was introduced in January 2013 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. There is only 6 months difference between WG-3 and XZ-10 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Pentax WG-3 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-07-19

16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 6400

25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

230g. 124 x 64 x 33 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Olympus XZ-10 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-01-30

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

26-130 mm F1.8-2.7 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

5 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

221g. 102 x 61 x 34 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Pentax WG-3 over Olympus Stylus XZ-10

Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 5.0fps	5 fps faster
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 26mm	1 mm wider coverage

Reasons to choose Olympus Stylus XZ-10 over Pentax WG-3

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Number of Focus Points	35 vs 9	26 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	920k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Weight	221 g vs 230 g	9 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	130mm vs 100mm	30 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	5× vs 4×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 2.00	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.70 vs 4.90	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.38µm² vs 1.76µm²	35% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus Stylus XZ-10

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes

Common Weaknesses of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus Stylus XZ-10

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option

New4

Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-10: 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 Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Pentax WG-3 has external dimensions of 124 x 64 x 33 mm (4.9 x 2.5 x 1.3″) and weighs 230 g (0.51 lb / 8.11 oz) (including batteries). Olympus XZ-10 has external dimensions of 102 x 61 x 34 mm (4.03 x 2.41 x 1.35″) and weighs 221 g (0.49 lb / 7.80 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10. Olympus XZ-10 is 22mm narrower and 3mm shorter than Pentax WG-3 but it is also 1mm thicker.

Comparison image of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10.

Comparison image of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10.

Top View Comparison image of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus XZ-10 is 9g lighter than the Pentax WG-3 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-3

XZ-10

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-3

XZ-10

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-10: Sensor Comparison

Pentax WG-3 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Olympus XZ-10 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the WG-3 and XZ-10 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 Cameras

Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Olympus XZ-10 has 35% larger pixel area (2.38µm² vs 1.76µm²) compared to Pentax WG-3, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-10 Lens Specs Comparison

Pentax WG-3 features a 25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 4× zoom lens whereas Olympus XZ-10 features a 26-130 mm F1.8-2.7 5× zoom lens.

Pentax WG-3 has 1mm wider coverage than the Olympus XZ-10. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f1.80, Olympus XZ-10 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus XZ-10 has 30mm longer reach than the Pentax WG-3. At f2.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

WG-3

XZ-10

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

WG-3

XZ-10

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

WG-3

XZ-10

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

WG-3

XZ-10

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 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.

Pentax WG-3 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-10 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus XZ-10 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-10 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
35 Focus Points
Fast Lens at Tele: f2.70
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
130 mm Tele Lens
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus XZ-10 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
230g
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
221g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-10 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Focus Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Environmental Sealings
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-10: 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 Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-10 scores compare:

Pentax WG-3

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #52 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #472 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Olympus XZ-10

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #30 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #403 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Olympus XZ-10 has a higher Overall Score than the Pentax WG-3 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus XZ-10 vs Pentax WG-3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Pentax WG-3	Olympus Stylus XZ-10
Brand	Pentax	Olympus
Announced	2013-07-19	2013-01-30
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	16 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4608 x 3456	3968 x 2976
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	125 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	9	35
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-100 mm (4×)	26-130 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F2.0-4.9	F1.8-2.7
Macro Focus Range	1cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.40 m	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
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	Eye-Fi Connected	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	230g	221g
Dimensions	124 x 64 x 33mm	102 x 61 x 34mm
Battery Life	240 shots	240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction