Olympus E-1 vs Pentax K-5 II

On this page, we are evaluating the Olympus E-1 versus Pentax K-5 II, former is a Pro DSLR while the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a considerable difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and K-5 II (16MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and K-5 II (APS-C) provide different sensor size.

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The E-1 was revealed 10 years before the K-5 II which is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-1 grades against the K-5 II in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-1 & Pentax K-5 II. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-1 features exterior dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") having a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) and the Pentax K-5 II has dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") and a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-1 versus Pentax K-5 II in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the E-1 compared to the K-5 II.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-1 and K-5 II is 59 and 60 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions purely by reading through specifications. The picture here will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-1 and K-5 II.

To sum up, each of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-1 with its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Pentax K-5 II will give more detail because of its extra 11MP. Greater resolution will let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be behind in sensor tech.