Olympus E-1 vs Pentax K-50

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-1 vs Pentax K-50, one is a Pro DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. There is a significant difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and K-50 (16MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and K-50 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was released 11 years before the K-50 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Pentax K-50 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise summary of how the E-1 grades against the K-50 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-1 and Pentax K-50. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Pentax K-50 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-1 provides exterior dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) while the Pentax K-50 has dimensions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-1 vs Pentax K-50 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select at that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the E-1 and the K-50.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and K-50 is 59 and 63 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to see the difference in sensor sizes simply by looking through specifications. The picture underneath will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-1 and K-50.

To sum up, the two cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-1 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field harder and the Pentax K-50 will provide you with greater detail as a result of its extra 11MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots more aggressively. The more aged E-1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.