Olympus XZ-2 vs Pentax MX-1
The Olympus XZ-2 and the Pentax MX-1 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2012 and January 2013. Both the XZ-2 and the MX-1 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/1.7-inch sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 11.8 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.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus XZ-2 and the Pentax MX-1? 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
The physical size and weight of the Olympus XZ-2 and the Pentax MX-1 are illustrated 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax MX-1 is somewhat larger (1 percent) than the Olympus XZ-2. Moreover, the MX-1 is markedly heavier (13 percent) than the XZ-2. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the XZ-2 nor the MX-1 are weather-sealed.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus XZ-2 | 113 mm | 65 mm | 48 mm | 346 g | 340 | n | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Pentax MX-1 | 122 mm | 61 mm | 51 mm | 391 g | 290 | n | Jan 2013 | 499 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon G15 | 107 mm | 76 mm | 40 mm | 352 g | 350 | n | Sep 2012 | 499 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon G16 | 109 mm | 76 mm | 40 mm | 356 g | 360 | n | Aug 2013 | 549 | ebay.com | |
5. | Fujifilm X10 | 117 mm | 70 mm | 57 mm | 350 g | 270 | n | Sep 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
6. | Fujifilm X20 | 117 mm | 70 mm | 57 mm | 353 g | 270 | n | Jan 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon P7800 | 119 mm | 78 mm | 50 mm | 399 g | 350 | n | Sep 2013 | 549 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 34 mm | 369 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | 799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 362 g | 280 | n | Jan 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 37 mm | 313 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus Stylus 1 | 116 mm | 87 mm | 57 mm | 402 g | 410 | n | Oct 2013 | 699 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus XZ-1 | 111 mm | 65 mm | 42 mm | 275 g | 320 | n | Jan 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic LX7 | 111 mm | 68 mm | 46 mm | 298 g | 330 | n | Jul 2012 | 499 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The MX-1 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 17 percent) than the XZ-2, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/1.7-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 4.4. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.
While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the MX-1 offers a slightly higher resolution of 12 megapixels, compared with 11.8 MP of the XZ-2. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.8 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the MX-1 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.89μm versus 1.91μm for the XZ-2). However, it should be noted that the MX-1 is a somewhat more recent model (by 3 months) than the XZ-2, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.
The Olympus XZ-2 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800. The Pentax MX-1 offers exactly the same ISO settings.
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.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus XZ-2 | 1/1.7 | 11.8 | 3968 | 2976 | 1080/30p | 20.4 | 11.3 | 216 | 49 | |
2. | Pentax MX-1 | 1/1.7 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/30p | 20.4 | 11.3 | 208 | 49 | |
3. | Canon G15 | 1/1.7 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/24p | 19.9 | 11.5 | 165 | 46 | |
4. | Canon G16 | 1/1.7 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60p | 21.0 | 11.7 | 230 | 54 | |
5. | Fujifilm X10 | 2/3 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/30p | 20.5 | 11.3 | 245 | 50 | |
6. | Fujifilm X20 | 2/3 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60p | 20.1 | 10.9 | -462 | 46 | |
7. | Nikon P7800 | 1/1.7 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/30p | 21.2 | 11.7 | 200 | 54 | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.8 | 10.1 | 536 | 51 | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.2 | 573 | 55 | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.9 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
11. | Olympus Stylus 1 | 1/1.7 | 11.8 | 3968 | 2976 | 1080/30p | 20.7 | 11.6 | 179 | 51 | |
12. | Olympus XZ-1 | 1/1.7 | 10.1 | 3664 | 2752 | 720/30p | 18.8 | 10.4 | 117 | 34 | |
13. | Panasonic LX7 | 1/1.7 | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | 1080/60p | 20.7 | 11.7 | 147 | 50 | |
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The XZ-2 and the MX-1 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 XZ-2 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-2. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus XZ-2 and Pentax MX-1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
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. | Olympus XZ-2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Pentax MX-1 | none | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 1.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon G15 | optical | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.1/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Canon G16 | optical | n | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.2/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Fujifilm X10 | optical | n | 2.8 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Fujifilm X20 | optical | n | 2.8 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Nikon P7800 | 921 | n | 3.0 / 921 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 614 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
11. | Olympus Stylus 1 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 7.0/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Olympus XZ-1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 614 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 2.0/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Panasonic LX7 | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The XZ-2 has a touchscreen, while the MX-1 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.
The Olympus XZ-2 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.
Both the XZ-2 and the MX-1 have zoom lenses built in. Both optics have identical focal length range and aperture specifications (6-24mm f/1.8-2.5). Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the XZ-2 and the MX-1 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 Olympus XZ-2 and Pentax MX-1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus XZ-2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Pentax MX-1 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon G15 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon G16 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
5. | Fujifilm X10 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Fujifilm X20 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Nikon P7800 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus Stylus 1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
12. | Olympus XZ-1 | Y | mono / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Panasonic LX7 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the XZ-2 has a hotshoe, while the MX-1 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.
Both the XZ-2 and the MX-1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Olympus and Pentax. Further information on the features and operation of the XZ-2 and MX-1 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus XZ-2 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax MX-1 Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus XZ-2 better than the Pentax MX-1 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.
Advantages of the Olympus XZ-2:
- More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
- Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 1 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 45g or 12 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (340 versus 290) on a single battery charge.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2012).
Arguments in favor of the Pentax MX-1:
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
- More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (17 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Was introduced somewhat (3 months) more recently.
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the XZ-2 is the clear winner of the match-up (8 : 3 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 Olympus XZ-2 and the Pentax MX-1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera listing 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the XZ-2 or the MX-1. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.
Expert reviews
This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus XZ-2 | 4/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Pentax MX-1 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 74/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2013 | 499 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon G15 | 4/5 | + | .. | 76/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 499 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon G16 | 4/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2013 | 549 | ebay.com | |
5. | Fujifilm X10 | .. | .. | .. | 76/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
6. | Fujifilm X20 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 77/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon P7800 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2013 | 549 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | .. | 83/100 | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | 799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | 3/5 | 83/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus Stylus 1 | .. | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2013 | 699 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus XZ-1 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic LX7 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2012 | 499 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
- Canon 1000D vs Pentax MX-1
- Canon 2000D vs Olympus XZ-2
- Canon 4000D vs Pentax MX-1
- Canon 750D vs Olympus XZ-2
- Canon T1i vs Olympus XZ-2
- Leica TL2 vs Pentax MX-1
- Nikon Z6 vs Pentax MX-1
- Olympus XZ-2 vs Panasonic LX5
- Olympus XZ-2 vs Panasonic S1H
- Olympus XZ-2 vs Sony A7 III
- Pentax MX-1 vs Sony A7
- Pentax MX-1 vs Sony RX10 III
Specifications: Olympus XZ-2 vs Pentax MX-1
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Olympus XZ-2 | Pentax MX-1 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Fixed lens compact camera | Fixed lens compact camera |
Camera Lens | 28-112mm f/1.8-2.5 | 28-112mm f/1.8-2.5 |
Launch Date | September 2012 | January 2013 |
Launch Price | USD 599 | USD 499 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus XZ-2 | Pentax MX-1 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | 1/1.7" Sensor | 1/1.7" Sensor |
Sensor Size | 7.6 x 5.7 mm | 7.6 x 5.7 mm |
Sensor Area | 43.32 mm2 | 43.32 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 9.5 mm | 9.5 mm |
Crop Factor | 4.4x | 4.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 11.8 Megapixels | 12 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3968 x 2976 pixels | 4000 x 3000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.91 μm | 1.89 μm |
Pixel Density | 27.26 MP/cm2 | 27.70 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | 1080/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 12,800 ISO | 100 - 12,800 ISO |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 49 | 49 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 20.4 | 20.4 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.3 | 11.3 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 216 | 208 |
Screen Specs | Olympus XZ-2 | Pentax MX-1 |
Viewfinder Type | Viewfinder optional | no viewfinder |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 920k dots | 920k dots |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | no Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus XZ-2 | Pentax MX-1 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | 1 shutter flaps/s |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | no Intervalometer |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | no | no |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus XZ-2 | Pentax MX-1 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | no Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | mini HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Olympus XZ-2 | Pentax MX-1 |
Battery Type | Olympus Li-90B | Pentax D-LI106 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 340 shots per charge | 290 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
113 x 65 x 48 mm (4.4 x 2.6 x 1.9 in) |
122 x 61 x 51 mm (4.8 x 2.4 x 2.0 in) |
Camera Weight | 346 g (12.2 oz) | 391 g (13.8 oz) |
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