Nikon W150 vs Pentax K-30

The Nikon Coolpix W150 and the Pentax K-30 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2019 and May 2012. The W150 is a fixed lens compact, while the K-30 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/3.1-inch (W150) and an APS-C (K-30) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 13 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 16.1 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 K-30
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
30-90mm f/3.3-5.9		Pentax K mount lenses
13 MP – 1/3.1" sensor		16.1 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 125-1,600		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4.7 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
no shake reduction		In-body stabilization
Waterproof body (10m)		Weathersealed body
220 shots per battery charge		410 shots per battery charge
110 x 67 x 38 mm, 177 g		130 x 97 x 71 mm, 650 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 K-30? 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 K-30 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The W150 can be obtained in five different colors (blue, orange, white, flower, resort), while the K-30 is available in seven color-versions (black, silver, blue, red, yellow, green, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-30 is considerably larger (71 percent) than the Nikon W150. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments. 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 K-30 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 following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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	Street Price
1.		Nikon W150	110 mm	67 mm	38 mm	177 g	220	Y	Apr 2019	US$ 159	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-30	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
3.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
4.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	US$ 429	ebay.com
5.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	US$ 999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	US$ 389	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	US$ 449	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-5	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-50	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-500	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	646 g	710	n	Jun 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh WG-6	118 mm	66 mm	33 mm	246 g	340	Y	Feb 2019	US$ 399	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	US$ 279	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	US$ 699	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	US$ 699	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The W150 was launched at a lower price than the K-30, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 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 K-30 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the K-30 is 2213 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 7.4 and 1.5. The sensor in the W150 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the K-30 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 16.1MP, the K-30 offers a higher resolution than the W150 (13MP), but the K-30 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.79μm versus 1.11μm for the W150) due to its larger sensor. However, the W150 is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 11 months) than the K-30, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. 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 resolution advantage of the Pentax K-30 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-30 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon W150 are 20.8 x 15.6 inches or 52.8 x 39.6 cm for good quality, 16.6 x 12.5 inches or 42.3 x 31.7 cm for very good quality, and 13.9 x 10.4 inches or 35.2 x 26.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Coolpix W150 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-30 are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 K-30	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1129	79
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.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
9.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
10.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
11.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
12.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
13.		Pentax K-500	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.1	1087	79
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 cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for 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. For example, the K-30 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the W150 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon W150, the Pentax K-30, 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 K-30	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/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.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
10.		Pentax K-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Pentax K-50	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Pentax K-500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/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).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the W150 and the K-30 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 K-30 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 K-30	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	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.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
10.		Pentax K-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Pentax K-50	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Pentax K-500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
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 K-30 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the W150 and the K-30 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The K-30 was replaced by the Pentax K-50, while the W150 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the W150 and K-30 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W150 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-30 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon W150 and the Pentax K-30? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix W150:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the K-30 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (110x67mm vs 130x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the K-30).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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 6 years and 11 months of technical progress since the K-30 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-30:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (16.1 vs 13MP), which boosts linear resolution by 14%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• 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 (921k vs 230k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 4.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (410 versus 220) out of a single battery charge.
• 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 May 2012).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-30 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 11 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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 Nikon W150 and the Pentax K-30 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best DSLR 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the W150 or the K-30 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.

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	US$ 159	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-30	4/5	..	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
3.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
4.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	US$ 429	ebay.com
5.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	US$ 349	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	US$ 999	amazon.com
7.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	US$ 389	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	US$ 449	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-5	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-50	5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-500	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh WG-6	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2019	US$ 399	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	US$ 279	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	US$ 699	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	US$ 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. 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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