Nikon W150 vs Pentax Q

The Nikon Coolpix W150 and the Pentax Q are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2019 and June 2011. The W150 is a fixed lens compact, while the Pentax Q is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/3.1-inch (W150) and a 1/2.3-inch (Pentax Q) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 13 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 12 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon W150		Pentax Q
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
30-90mm f/3.3-5.9		Pentax Q mount lenses
13 MP – 1/3.1" sensor		12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 125-1,600		ISO 125-6,400
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Viewfinder optional
2.7" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4.7 shutter flaps per second		1.5 shutter flaps per second
no shake reduction		In-body stabilization
Waterproof body (10m)		not weather sealed
220 shots per battery charge		230 shots per battery charge
110 x 67 x 38 mm, 177 g		98 x 57 x 31 mm, 180 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix W150 and the Pentax Q? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon W150 and the Pentax Q is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The W150 can be obtained in five different colors (blue, orange, white, flower, resort), while the Pentax Q is available in two color-versions (black, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax Q is notably smaller (24 percent) than the Nikon W150. It is worth mentioning in this context that the W150 is splash and dust resistant, while the Pentax Q does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W150 is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the W150 has a lens built in, whereas the Pentax Q is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

The power pack in the W150 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon W150	110 mm	67 mm	38 mm	177 g	220	Y	Apr 2019	EUR 199	ebay.com
2.		Pentax Q	98 mm	57 mm	31 mm	180 g	230	n	Jun 2011	EUR 599	ebay.com
3.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
4.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
5.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	EUR 359	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	EUR 1 099	amazon.com
7.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	EUR 449	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	EUR 599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL1	115 mm	72 mm	42 mm	334 g	290	n	Feb 2010	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL2	114 mm	72 mm	42 mm	362 g	280	n	Jan 2011	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL3	110 mm	64 mm	37 mm	313 g	300	n	Jun 2011	EUR 549	ebay.com
12.		Olympus XZ-2	113 mm	65 mm	48 mm	346 g	340	n	Sep 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	EUR 429	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh WG-6	118 mm	66 mm	33 mm	246 g	340	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 399	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	EUR 249	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	EUR 849	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	EUR 799	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The W150 was launched at a lower price than the Pentax Q, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon W150 features a 1/3.1-inch sensor and the Pentax Q a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the Pentax Q is 75 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 7.4 and 5.6. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Nikon W150 offers a higher resolution of 13 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the Pentax Q. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.11μm versus 1.53μm for the Pentax Q). However, it should be noted that the W150 is much more recent (by 7 years and 10 months) than the Pentax Q, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the W150 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Nikon Coolpix W150 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax Q are ISO 125 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon W150	1/3.1	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	22.1	13.8	4058	65
2.		Pentax Q	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	20.2	11.1	189	47
3.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
4.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
5.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
6.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
7.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
8.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
9.		Olympus E-PL1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.5	10.1	487	54
10.		Olympus E-PL2	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.4	10.2	573	55
11.		Olympus E-PL3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.9	10.3	499	52
12.		Olympus XZ-2	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.4	11.3	216	49
13.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
14.		Ricoh WG-6	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1104	52
15.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
16.		Sony RX0	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
17.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The W150 and the Pentax Q are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. That said, the Pentax Q can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the O-VF1. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon W150, the Pentax Q, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon W150	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	4.7/s	Y	n
2.		Pentax Q	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.5/s	Y	Y
3.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
4.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-PL1	optional	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-PL2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-PL3	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
12.		Olympus XZ-2	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Ricoh WG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.0/s	Y	n
15.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
17.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the W150 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Pentax Q has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the W150 and the Pentax Q write their files to SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Coolpix W150 and Pentax Q and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon W150	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Pentax Q	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
4.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-PL1	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-PL2	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-PL3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus XZ-2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Ricoh WG-6	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	-	-	-
15.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX0	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the W150 offers wifi support, while the Pentax Q does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the W150 and the Pentax Q have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Pentax Q was replaced by the Pentax Q10, while the W150 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the W150 and Pentax Q can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W150 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax Q Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon W150 and the Pentax Q? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix W150:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.7 vs 1.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the Pentax Q requires a separate lens.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the Pentax Q).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 10m).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 10 months of technical progress since the Pentax Q launch.

Reasons to prefer the Pentax Q:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 230k dots).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• More compact: Is smaller (98x57mm vs 110x67mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2011).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the W150 emerges as the winner of the contest (12 : 10 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon W150 and the Pentax Q place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the W150 and the Pentax Q in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon W150	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Apr 2019	EUR 199	ebay.com
2.		Pentax Q	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jun 2011	EUR 599	ebay.com
3.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
4.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
5.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	EUR 359	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	EUR 1 099	amazon.com
7.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	EUR 449	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	EUR 599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL1	..	86/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL2	3/5	83/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2011	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL3	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	EUR 549	ebay.com
12.		Olympus XZ-2	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	EUR 429	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh WG-6	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2019	EUR 399	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	EUR 249	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	EUR 849	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	EUR 799	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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