Pentax Q vs Nikon 1 J5
The Pentax Q and the Nikon 1 J5 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in June 2011 and April 2015. Both the Pentax Q and the J5 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a 1/2.3-inch (Pentax Q) and an one-inch (J5) sensor. The Pentax has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 20.7 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 Pentax Q and the Nikon 1 J5? 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 Pentax Q and the Nikon 1 J5 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The Pentax Q can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the J5 is available in three color-versions (black, silver, white).
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon 1 J5 is notably larger (5 percent) than the Pentax Q. Moreover, the J5 is markedly heavier (28 percent) than the Pentax Q. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the Pentax Q nor the J5 are weather-sealed.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.
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. | Pentax Q | 98 mm | 57 mm | 31 mm | 180 g | 230 | n | Jun 2011 | 649 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon 1 J5 | 98 mm | 60 mm | 32 mm | 231 g | 250 | n | Apr 2015 | 399 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon G9 X | 98 mm | 58 mm | 31 mm | 209 g | 220 | n | Oct 2015 | 529 | ebay.com | |
4. | Fujifilm X10 | 117 mm | 70 mm | 57 mm | 350 g | 270 | n | Sep 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon 1 V3 | 111 mm | 65 mm | 33 mm | 381 g | 310 | n | Mar 2014 | 799 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon 1 J4 | 100 mm | 60 mm | 29 mm | 232 g | 300 | n | Apr 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus XZ-2 | 113 mm | 65 mm | 48 mm | 346 g | 340 | n | Sep 2012 | 599 | 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 E-PL1 | 115 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 334 g | 290 | n | Feb 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 521 g | 500 | n | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | 108 mm | 67 mm | 32 mm | 264 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | 549 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic G2 | 124 mm | 84 mm | 74 mm | 428 g | 360 | n | Mar 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic GF2 | 113 mm | 68 mm | 33 mm | 310 g | 300 | n | Nov 2010 | 549 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony RX100 IV | 102 mm | 58 mm | 41 mm | 298 g | 280 | n | Jun 2015 | 999 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A5000 | 110 mm | 63 mm | 36 mm | 269 g | 420 | n | Jan 2014 | 449 | 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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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 J5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the Pentax Q, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 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. 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Pentax Q features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Nikon 1 J5 an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the J5 is 314 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 2.7. The sensor in the Pentax Q has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the J5 offers a 3:2 aspect.
With 20.7MP, the J5 offers a higher resolution than the Pentax Q (12MP), but the J5 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 2.37μm versus 1.53μm for the Pentax Q) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the J5 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 9 months) than the Pentax Q, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the J5 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Nikon 1 J5 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the J5 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm. The corresponding values for the Pentax Q are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.
The J5 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Pentax Q has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon 1 J5 are ISO 160 to ISO 12800 (no boost).
In terms of underlying technology, the Pentax Q is build around a CMOS sensor, while the J5 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the J5 offers substantially better image quality than the Pentax Q (overall score 18 points higher). The advantage is based on 0.9 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Pentax Q | 1/2.3 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/30p | 20.2 | 11.1 | 189 | 47 | |
2. | Nikon 1 J5 | 1-inch | 20.7 | 5568 | 3712 | 4K/15p | 21.1 | 12.0 | 479 | 65 | |
3. | Canon G9 X | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 21.5 | 12.3 | 495 | 63 | |
4. | Fujifilm X10 | 2/3 | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/30p | 20.5 | 11.3 | 245 | 50 | |
5. | Nikon 1 V3 | 1-inch | 18.2 | 5232 | 3488 | 1080/60p | 20.8 | 10.7 | 384 | 52 | |
6. | Nikon 1 J4 | 1-inch | 18.2 | 5232 | 3488 | 1080/60p | 20.8 | 10.7 | 426 | 53 | |
7. | Olympus XZ-2 | 1/1.7 | 11.8 | 3968 | 2976 | 1080/30p | 20.4 | 11.3 | 216 | 49 | |
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 E-PL1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.1 | 487 | 54 | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.3 | 536 | 55 | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60i | 20.6 | 10.1 | 459 | 50 | |
14. | Panasonic G2 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 720/30p | 21.2 | 10.3 | 493 | 53 | |
15. | Panasonic GF2 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60i | 21.2 | 10.3 | 506 | 54 | |
16. | Sony RX100 IV | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 4K/30p | 22.8 | 12.6 | 591 | 70 | |
17. | Sony A5000 | APS-C | 19.8 | 5456 | 3632 | 1080/60i | 23.8 | 13.0 | 1089 | 79 |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the J5 provides a better video resolution than the Pentax Q. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/15p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The Pentax Q and the J5 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 Pentax Q, the Nikon 1 J5, and comparable cameras.
# | 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. | Pentax Q | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 1.5/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Nikon 1 J5 | none | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 60.0/s | Y | n | |
3. | Canon G9 X | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/2000s | 6.0/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Fujifilm X10 | optical | n | 2.8 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Nikon 1 V3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 60.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon 1 J4 | none | n | 3.0 / 1037 | Fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 60.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Olympus XZ-2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 5.0/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 E-PL1 | optional | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | none | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.2/s | Y | n | |
14. | Panasonic G2 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 2.6/s | Y | n | |
15. | Panasonic GF2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 2.6/s | Y | n | |
16. | Sony RX100 IV | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 1228 | tilting | n | 1/2000s | 16.0/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony A5000 | none | n | 3.0 / 461 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that differentiates the Pentax Q and the J5 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The Pentax Q reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the J5 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.
The J5 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the Pentax Q does not have a selfie-screen.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 J5 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 and the Nikon 1 J5 both have 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 Pentax Q and the J5 write their files to SDXC cards. The J5 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the Pentax Q cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 Pentax Q and Nikon 1 J5 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. | Pentax Q | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Nikon 1 J5 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
3. | Canon G9 X | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
4. | Fujifilm X10 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Nikon 1 V3 | - | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
6. | Nikon 1 J4 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
7. | Olympus XZ-2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | 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 E-PL1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Panasonic G2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Panasonic GF2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Sony RX100 IV | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony A5000 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the Pentax Q has a hotshoe, while the J5 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.
Both the Pentax Q and the J5 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Pentax Q was replaced by the Pentax Q10, while the J5 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the Pentax Q and J5 can be found, respectively, in the Pentax Q Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon 1 J5 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Pentax Q or the Nikon 1 J5 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Arguments in favor of 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.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 51g or 22 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2011).
Advantages of the Nikon 1 J5:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (20.7 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 34%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (18 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.9 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.3 stops ISO advantage).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/15p vs 1080/30p).
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 460k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (60 vs 1.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 3 years and 9 months of technical progress since the Pentax Q launch.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the J5 is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 Pentax Q and the Nikon 1 J5 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 Pentax Q or the J5. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Pentax Q | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jun 2011 | 649 | ebay.com | |
2. | Nikon 1 J5 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2015 | 399 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon G9 X | 3.5/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2015 | 529 | ebay.com | |
4. | Fujifilm X10 | .. | .. | .. | 76/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon 1 V3 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 76/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2014 | 799 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon 1 J4 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Apr 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus XZ-2 | 4/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 599 | 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 E-PL1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-620 | 3/5 | 88/100 | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic GF3 | 3/5 | 82/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | 549 | ebay.com | |
14. | Panasonic G2 | .. | .. | .. | 72/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic GF2 | 3/5 | 82/100 | .. | 70/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2010 | 549 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony RX100 IV | 4.5/5 | + + | .. | 85/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2015 | 999 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A5000 | 3/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2014 | 449 | 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 1D X Mark III vs Pentax Q
- Canon 5DS R vs Pentax Q
- Canon D30 vs Nikon 1 J5
- Fujifilm X-E2S vs Pentax Q
- Fujifilm X100S vs Pentax Q
- Fujifilm X20 vs Nikon 1 J5
- Nikon 1 J5 vs Nikon B500
- Nikon 1 J5 vs Nikon D3X
- Nikon 1 J5 vs Sony A68
- Nikon 1 J5 vs Sony NEX-F3
- Panasonic FZ2500 vs Pentax Q
- Panasonic G1 vs Pentax Q
Specifications: Pentax Q vs Nikon 1 J5
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 | Pentax Q | Nikon 1 J5 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Pentax Q mount lenses | Nikon 1 mount lenses |
Launch Date | June 2011 | April 2015 |
Launch Price | USD 649 | USD 399 |
Sensor Specs | Pentax Q | Nikon 1 J5 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | 1/2.3" Sensor | 1" Sensor |
Sensor Size | 6.17 x 4.55 mm | 13.2 x 8.8 mm |
Sensor Area | 28.0735 mm2 | 116.16 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 7.7 mm | 15.9 mm |
Crop Factor | 5.6x | 2.7x |
Sensor Resolution | 12 Megapixels | 20.7 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4000 x 3000 pixels | 5568 x 3712 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 1.53 μm | 2.37 μm |
Pixel Density | 42.74 MP/cm2 | 17.79 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | 4K/15p Video |
ISO Setting | 125 - 6,400 ISO | 160 - 12,800 ISO |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 47 | 65 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 20.2 | 21.1 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.1 | 12.0 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 189 | 479 |
Screen Specs | Pentax Q | Nikon 1 J5 |
Viewfinder Type | Viewfinder optional | no viewfinder |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 460k dots | 1037k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Pentax Q | Nikon 1 J5 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Continuous Shooting | 1.5 shutter flaps/s | 60 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | up to 1/16000s |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | Lens stabilization only |
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 | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Pentax Q | Nikon 1 J5 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | no Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | micro HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | no NFC | NFC built-in |
Body Specs | Pentax Q | Nikon 1 J5 |
Battery Type | Pentax D-LI68 | Nikon EN-EL24 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 230 shots per charge | 250 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
98 x 57 x 31 mm (3.9 x 2.2 x 1.2 in) |
98 x 60 x 32 mm (3.9 x 2.4 x 1.3 in) |
Camera Weight | 180 g (6.3 oz) | 231 g (8.1 oz) |
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