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Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Comparison

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Pentax WG-3

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

Pentax WG-3
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Olympus XZ-2 iHS

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

Olympus XZ-2 iHS
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Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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-2 iHS, which was introduced in December 2012 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor. There is only 7 months difference between WG-3 and XZ-2 iHS so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Fortunately, you can't go wrong with any of these cameras as we rank them amongst Top 10 cameras in their classes. Pentax WG-3 is ranked #8 out of 75 Waterproof cameras with an overall score of 51 whereas Olympus XZ-2 iHS is ranked #3 out of 262 Small Sensor Compact cameras with an overall score of 61.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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-2 iHS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-12-18
  • 12MP - 1/1.7-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • 28-112 mm F1.8-2.5 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • Unknown continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 346g. 113 x 65 x 48 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Pentax WG-3 over Olympus XZ-2 iHS
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 12 MP 33% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Weight
230 g vs 346 g 116 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 28mm 3 mm wider coverage


Reasons to choose Olympus XZ-2 iHS over Pentax WG-3
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
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
Max ISO
12.800 vs 6.400 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
35 vs 9 26 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution
920k dots vs 460k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Battery Life
340 shots vs 240 shots 100 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Tele
112mm vs 100mm 12 mm longer tele reach
Max Aperture - Wide
1.80 vs 2.00 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.50 vs 4.90 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
8.6m vs 3.4m 5.2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
3.52µm2 vs 1.76µm2 100% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Built-in ND Filter
Yes vs No Use larger aperture under strong light

Common Strengths of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS
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 XZ-2 iHS
Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS: 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-2 iHS 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-2 iHS has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 48 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 1.89″) and weighs 346 g (0.76 lb / 12.20 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS. Pentax WG-3 is 1mm shorter and 15mm thinner than Olympus XZ-2 iHS but it is also 11mm wider.

Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS.
Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax WG-3 is significantly lighter (116g ) than the Olympus XZ-2 iHS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-3
XZ-2 iHS
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

WG-3
XZ-2 iHS
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Olympus XZ-2 iHS features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Pentax WG-3 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to XZ-2 iHS.
Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS: 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-2 iHS has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the WG-3 and XZ-2 iHS sensor size comparison.

Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Cameras


As seen above, Olympus XZ-2 iHS has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Pentax WG-3. 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.

Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Lens Specs Comparison

Pentax WG-3 features a 25-100 mm F2.0-4.9 4× zoom lens whereas Olympus XZ-2 iHS features a 28-112 mm F1.8-2.5 4x zoom lens.

Pentax WG-3 has 3mm wider coverage than the Olympus XZ-2 iHS. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f1.80, Olympus XZ-2 iHS is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Olympus XZ-2 iHS has 12mm longer reach than the Pentax WG-3. At f2.50, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

WG-3
XZ-2 iHS
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

WG-3
XZ-2 iHS
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

WG-3
XZ-2 iHS
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

WG-3
XZ-2 iHS
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Pentax WG-3 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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-2 iHS 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
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 for Street Photography

GOOD

Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
112 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
346g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Pentax WG-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS: 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-2 iHS, 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-2 iHS 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-2 iHS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #8 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #290 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Olympus XZ-2 iHS is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Pentax WG-3 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Pentax WG-3. Otherwise, Olympus XZ-2 iHS is the better camera overall.

Pentax WG-3
Pentax WG-3
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Olympus XZ-2 iHS
Olympus XZ-2 iHS
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Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Pentax WG-3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Pentax WG-3 Olympus XZ-2 iHS
Brand Pentax Olympus
Announced 2013-07-19 2012-12-18
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/1.7-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area 28.07mm2 41.52mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 3968 x 2976
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 12,800 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×) 28-112 mm (4x)
Max Aperture F2.0-4.9 F1.8-2.5
Macro Focus Range 1cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 460k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
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 8.60 m (ISO 800)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps n/a
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 346g
Dimensions 124 x 64 x 33mm 113 x 65 x 48mm
Battery Life 240 shots 340 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 49
DxO Color Depth not tested 20.4
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.3
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 216
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