Reasons to choose XZ-1
Released in 2011, XZ-1 has about 46 mm² of sensor area, 10 MP effective resolution, and a 275 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Olympus XZ-1
vs Pentax MX-1
VS
Sensor area
46 mm²
XZ-142 mm²
MX-1- Area ratio
- 1.09:1
- Absolute difference
- 4 mm²
- Relative difference
- 8.9%
The XZ-1 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
XZ-1MetricMX-1
10 MPEffective pixels12 MP
7.85 × 5.89Sensor7.53 × 5.64
2.15 µmPixel pitch1.88 µm
4.62 µm²Pixel area3.54 µm²
21.63 MP/cm²Pixel density28.26 MP/cm²
4.41Crop factor4.6
—Maximum video—
275 gWeight391 g
SDHC, SDXC, Secure DigitalStorageSD/SDHC/SDXC
Lithium-Ion Li-50B rechargeable battery Li-ion batteryBatteryLithium-Ion D-Li-106 rechargeable battery Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The XZ-1 has the larger sensor area. The XZ-1 has the lighter body. The MX-1 has the higher effective resolution. The MX-1 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose MX-1
Released in 2013, MX-1 has about 42 mm² of sensor area, 12 MP effective resolution, and a 391 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.