Pentax Q-S1 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99

In this comparison, we will evaluate the Pentax Q-S1 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

Pentax Q-S1 was introduced in August 2014 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 was introduced in September 2018. Let us first list highlights of the models.

Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Pentax Q-S1 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99.

This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 over Pentax Q-S1.

We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

Screen

Pentax Q-S1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 have 3.0" screens with 460k dot and 921k dot resolutions respectively. Pentax Q-S1 has a Fixed screen Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 has a Tilting screen which makes it very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment

Electronic Viewfinder on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 638k dot resolution. It has a 100% coverage. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Pentax Q-S1.

BSI-CMOS Sensor

Pentax Q-S1 features a 12.4 megapixel 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 7.44 x 5.58 mm and a total area of 41.5 mm². Its native ISO range is 100 - 12,800. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 features a 18.2 megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 20.7 mm². Its native ISO range is 80 - 12,800.

The cameras have BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.

Pentax Q-S1 is equipped with Q Engine processor and can take pictures up to 4000 x 3000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4000 x 2664, 4000 x 2248, 2992 x 2992, 3072 x 2034, 3072 x 2048, 3072 x 1728, 2304 x 2304, 1920 x 1400, 1920 x 1280, 1920 x 1080, 1440 x 1440 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 is equipped with Bionz X processor and can take pictures up to 4896 x 3672 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4896 x 3264, 4896 x 2752, 3664 x 3664, 3648 x 2736, 3648 x 2432, 3648 x 2056, 2736 x 2736, 2592 x 1944, 2592 x 1728, 1920 x 1920, 1920 x 1080, 640 x 480 with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.

Image Stabilization

The cameras have a built-in image stabilization. On Pentax Q-S1 it means that you are still getting vibration reduction when it is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

Built-in Wi-Fi on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 has a built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
  Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.

NFC on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.

USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. Pentax Q-S1 has a Micro HDMI and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 has a Micro HDMI connector for video signal output.

Battery

Pentax Q-S1 comes with D-LI68 battery pack with battery life of 250 shots and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 comes with NP-BX1 battery pack with battery life of 360 shots.

External Storage Slots

Pentax Q-S1 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo card slot.

Shutter

Shutter speed can go up to 1/8000 sec on Pentax Q-S1, and up to 1/2000 sec on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99. Pentax Q-S1 can shoot continuously up to 5.0 fps. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.

Flash

Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 4.90 m at ISO 100 on Pentax Q-S1 and 5.40 m at Auto ISO on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99. Pentax Q-S1 also accepts external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe..

Pentax Q-S1 body has dimensions of 105 x 58 x 34 mm (4.13 x 2.28 x 1.34") and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 body has dimensions of 102 x 58 x 36 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.42"). Pentax Q-S1 weighs 203 g (0.45 lb / 7.16 oz) and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99 weighs 242 g (0.53 lb / 8.54 oz).

Pentax Q-S1

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX99

105 mm

58 mm

102 mm

58 mm

58 mm

58 mm

34 mm

36 mm