Pentax Q vs Nikon W300

The Pentax Q and the Nikon Coolpix W300 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2011 and May 2017. The Pentax Q is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the W300 is a fixed lens compact. Both cameras are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Pentax has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 15.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Pentax Q		Nikon W300
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Pentax Q mount lenses		24-120mm f/2.8-4.9
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 125-6,400		ISO 125-1,600 (125 - 6,400)
Viewfinder optional		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
1.5 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens-based stabilization
not weather sealed		Waterproof body (30m)
230 shots per battery charge		280 shots per battery charge
98 x 57 x 31 mm, 180 g		112 x 66 x 29 mm, 231 g

Check Pentax Q offers at
ebay.com
Check W300 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Pentax Q and the Nikon Coolpix W300? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Pentax Q and the Nikon W300. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The Pentax Q can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the W300 is available in three color-versions (black, orange, yellow).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon W300 is notably larger (32 percent) than the Pentax Q. It is noteworthy in this context that the W300 is splash and dust-proof, while the Pentax Q does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W300 is water-proof up to 30m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the W300 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 W300 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		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 W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	389	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X10	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	350 g	270	n	Sep 2011	599	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-P3	122 mm	69 mm	34 mm	369 g	330	n	Jun 2011	799	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-PL1	115 mm	72 mm	42 mm	334 g	290	n	Feb 2010	599	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-PL2	114 mm	72 mm	42 mm	362 g	280	n	Jan 2011	599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-PL3	110 mm	64 mm	37 mm	313 g	300	n	Jun 2011	599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus TG-5	113 mm	66 mm	32 mm	250 g	340	Y	May 2017	449	ebay.com
10.		Olympus XZ-2	113 mm	65 mm	48 mm	346 g	340	n	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic G2	124 mm	84 mm	74 mm	428 g	360	n	Mar 2010	599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GF2	113 mm	68 mm	33 mm	310 g	300	n	Nov 2010	549	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GF3	108 mm	67 mm	32 mm	264 g	300	n	Jun 2011	549	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX80	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	390	n	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
17.		Sony WX800	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	233 g	370	n	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 W300 was launched at a lower price than the Pentax Q, despite having a lens built in. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. 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 W300 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the Pentax Q. This megapixels advantage translates into a 15 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the W300 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.33μm versus 1.53μm for the Pentax Q). However, it should be noted that the W300 is much more recent (by 5 years and 11 months) than the Pentax Q, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon W300 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the W300 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 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 Pentax Q has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix W300 are ISO 125 to ISO 1600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 125-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the Pentax Q is build around a CMOS sensor, while the W300 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.

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 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.		Pentax Q	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	20.2	11.1	189	47
2.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
3.		Fujifilm X10	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	20.5	11.3	245	50
4.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
5.		Olympus E-P3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.8	10.1	536	51
6.		Olympus E-PL1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.5	10.1	487	54
7.		Olympus E-PL2	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.4	10.2	573	55
8.		Olympus E-PL3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.9	10.3	499	52
9.		Olympus TG-5	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	934	50
10.		Olympus XZ-2	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.4	11.3	216	49
11.		Panasonic G2	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	21.2	10.3	493	53
12.		Panasonic GF2	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	21.2	10.3	506	54
13.		Panasonic GF3	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.6	10.1	459	50
14.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
15.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
16.		Sony HX80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.4	11.8	822	48
17.		Sony WX800	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.6	12.2	1070	51
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the W300 provides a better video resolution than the Pentax Q. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The Pentax Q and the W300 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 W300, 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.		Pentax Q	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.5/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Fujifilm X10	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Olympus E-P3	optional	n	3.0 / 614	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Olympus E-PL1	optional	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Olympus E-PL2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-PL3	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
9.		Olympus TG-5	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	20.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus XZ-2	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic G2	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic GF2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	2.6/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic GF3	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.2/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony HX80	638	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony WX800	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 Pentax Q and the W300 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 Pentax Q and Nikon Coolpix W300 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.		Pentax Q	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Fujifilm X10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-P3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-PL1	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-PL2	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-PL3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus TG-5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Olympus XZ-2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic G2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic GF2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic GF3	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony HX80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony WX800	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the Pentax Q has a hotshoe, while the W300 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the W300 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the Pentax Q and the W300 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Pentax Q was replaced by the Pentax Q10, while the W300 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the Pentax Q and W300 can be found, respectively, in the Pentax Q Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon W300 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Pentax Q or the Nikon W300 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Pentax Q:

• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (98x57mm vs 112x66mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• 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).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix W300:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (15.9 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 15%.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 1.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the Pentax Q necessitates an extra lens.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (280 versus 230) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 30m).
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• 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 5 years and 11 months of technical progress since the Pentax Q launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the W300 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 6 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 W300 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Travel-Zoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Pentax Q or the W300 perform in practice. 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 expert reviews 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Pentax Q	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jun 2011	649	ebay.com
2.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	389	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X10	..	..	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2011	599	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-P3	..	83/100	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	799	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-PL1	..	86/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	599	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-PL2	3/5	83/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2011	599	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-PL3	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	599	ebay.com
9.		Olympus TG-5	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	449	ebay.com
10.		Olympus XZ-2	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic G2	..	..	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2010	599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GF2	3/5	82/100	..	70/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2010	549	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GF3	3/5	82/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	549	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	279	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX80	..	..	..	..	..	..	Mar 2016	349	ebay.com
17.		Sony WX800	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, 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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check Pentax Q offers at
ebay.com
Check W300 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check Pentax Q offers at
ebay.com
Check W300 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.