Pentax Optio S1 Review

Main Features

14MP - 1/2.3" CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

2.7″ Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

1280 x 720 video resolution

157g. 114 x 58 x 28 mm

$173.89

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Pentax S1 Overview

First introduced in March 2011 , Pentax Optio S1 is a 14.0MP Small Sensor Compact camera with a 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor.

Pentax S1 has an Overall Score of 40/100 and ranked #274 out of 622 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #782 out of 1157 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Pentax S1 Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Pentax S1 Compared to other Compact Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Pentax S1 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Image Stabilization

157g Light Body

Manual Focusing

Buy Pentax S1 from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Articulating Screen

No External Flash Shoe

No Full HD Video

No Touch Screen

No Built-in Viewfinder

No RAW Shooting

No Face Detection Focusing

Low Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP

Only 9 Focus Points

Small LCD Screen ( 2.7″)

Low Screen Resolution ( 230kdots )

1/1500s Low Max Shutter Speed

Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps

Low Battery Life: 260 shots

No Manual Exposure

No Environmental Sealing

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.50

Slow Lens at Tele: f5.50

Pentax S1 Sensor and Photography Features

Pentax S1 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4288 x 3216 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9. S1 has a native ISO range of 80 - 6400 but unfortunately, Pentax S1 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider or in the same price range.

Pentax S1 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Pentax S1 vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Pentax S1's 1/2.3" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Pentax S1 Physical Specs

Pentax S1 weighs 157 g (0.35 lb / 5.54 oz) and has external dimensions of 114 x 58 x 28 mm (4.49 x 2.28 x 1.1″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Pentax S1 is a remarkably light camera for its class. With a thickness of 28mm, it has an average thickness for its class.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Pentax S1

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Pentax S1

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Pentax S1 with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Pentax S1, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Pentax S1 with its main competitors:

Pentax S1 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs S1	Thickness	vs S1
Fujifilm X30	12.0MP - 2/3"	423g	266g heavier	60mm	32mm thicker
Canon S120	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	217g	60g heavier	29mm	1mm thicker
Canon G16	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	356g	199g heavier	40mm	12mm thicker
Pentax MX-1	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	391g	234g heavier	51mm	23mm thicker
Olympus TG-3	16.0MP - 1/2.3"	247g	90g heavier	31mm	3mm thicker
Nikon P7800	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	399g	242g heavier	50mm	22mm thicker
Fujifilm X10	12.0MP - 2/3"	350g	193g heavier	57mm	29mm thicker
Panasonic LF1	12.0MP - 1/1.7"	192g	35g heavier	28mm	equal thickness

Pentax S1 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Pentax S1 Lens

Pentax S1 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.5 5× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 28mm and 140mm reach on tele gives a lot of flexibility and satisfy most of your needs.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

With a max aperture of f3.50 at 28mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end and neither at tele end with its f5.50.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

S1 is also equipped with Sensor-shift image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds. Pentax S1's lens also has a Manual Focus Mode.

Pentax S1 Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Pentax S1 has a Fixed Type 2.7″ LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. At only 2.7″, the screen is on the smaller side and 230kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

S1 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 (Compare) or Canon PowerShot SD780 IS (Digital IXUS 100 IS) (Compare).
If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

Max Shutter speed
Pentax S1 can shoot continuously at max speed of 1 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/1500 sec.

Flash
Unfortunately S1 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing
Pentax S1 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.

Video Features
With Pentax S1, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1280 x 720 at 30,15 fps and save in and Motion JPEG formats. 1280 x 720 is a low video resolution by todays standards. If video quality is important for you, we recommend you to look at cameras with Full HD, even better 4K / Ultra-HD resolution .

S1 has a built-in Mono microphone and a None speaker.
Pentax S1 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Samsung PL120 or Samsung SH100 in a similar price range.

Connectivity and Storage

You can connect S1 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery Pentax S1 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 260 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 254 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Compact Cameras

Pentax S1

Min

Average

Max

Fujifilm X30 with its 470shots is the model with longest battery life among Small Sensor Compact cameras. Check the comparison of Pentax S1 vs Fujifilm X30 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

Pentax S1 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Fujifilm X30 >>Compare to S1	1920 x 1080	470shots	Yes	No	No
Canon S120 >>Compare to S1	1920 x 1080	230shots	Yes	No	No
Canon G16 >>Compare to S1	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	No	No
Pentax MX-1 >>Compare to S1	1920 x 1080	290shots	No	No	No
Olympus TG-3 >>Compare to S1	1920 x 1080	330shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon P7800 >>Compare to S1	1920 x 1080	350shots	No	No	No
Fujifilm X10 >>Compare to S1	1920 x 1080	270shots	No	No	No
Panasonic LF1 >>Compare to S1	1920 x 1080	250shots	Yes	No	Yes

Lowest Price
Current Lowest price for Pentax S1 is $173.89

What type of Photography is Pentax S1 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Pentax S1 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the S1 compares with the average Compact camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Pentax S1 for Portrait Photography

Pentax S1 has a score of 33 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS1.

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
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 of how we scored Pentax S1 for Portrait Photography

Pentax S1 for Street Photography

Pentax S1 has a score of 62 for Street Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Street Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.

Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Image Stabilization
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

Small Body
No Built-in Viewfinder
No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor

Read the details of how we scored Pentax S1 for Street Photography

Pentax S1 for Sports Photography

Pentax S1 has a score of 21 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS1.

Manual Focus Mode
Image Stabilization
140 mm Tele Lens
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1500s
9 Focus Points

Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Built-in Viewfinder
No External Flash Shoe
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Pentax S1 for Sports Photography

Pentax S1 for Daily Photography

Pentax S1 has a score of 57 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Compact Body
157g
5X Optical Zoom

Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability

Read the details of how we scored Pentax S1 for Daily Photography

Pentax S1 for Landscape Photography

Pentax S1 has a score of 29 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS1.

Manual Focus Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
No Manual Exposure Mode

No RAW shooting capability
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Pentax S1 for Landscape Photography

Pentax S1 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Pentax S1 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of S1 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Pentax S1 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Pentax S1

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Pentax S1 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Fujifilm X30

Compare

Canon S120

Compare

Canon G16

Compare

Pentax MX-1

Compare

Olympus TG-3

Compare

Nikon P7800

Compare

Fujifilm X10

Compare

Panasonic LF1

Compare

Pentax S1 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Pentax S1 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Pentax S1's price range.

Olympus E-P3

Compare

Pentax Q-S1

Compare

Olympus E-PL2

Compare

Kodak S-1

Compare

Olympus E-P1

Compare

Nikon 1 J3

Compare

Sony NEX-3

Compare

Nikon 1 S1

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Pentax S1

Does the Pentax S1 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Pentax S1 have RAW support?
Does the Pentax S1 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Pentax S1 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Pentax S1?
What is the Sensor Size of Pentax S1?
is the Pentax S1 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Pentax S1 have Touch Screen?
Does the Pentax S1 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Pentax S1?

Pentax Optio S1 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Pentax
Model	Pentax Optio S1
Announced	2011-03-02
Body Type	Compact
Price	$173.89
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.5-5.5
Macro Focus Range	1cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Technology	TFT color LCD with Anti-reflective coating
Screen Size	2.7″
Screen Resolution	230k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	4s
Max Shutter Speed	1/1500s
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	n/a
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.90 m
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Soft
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CCD
Sensor Size	1/2.3"
Sensor Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Sensor Area	28.07mm²
Sensor Resolution	14 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4288 x 3216
Max Native ISO	6,400
Min Native ISO	80
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
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1280 x 720 (30, 15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	157g
Physical Dimensions	114 x 58 x 28mm
Battery Life	260 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	D-LI92
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage Slots	1