Olympus E-1 vs Pentax K-r

Below, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-1 versus Pentax K-r, former being a Pro DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There exists a noticeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and K-r (12MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and K-r (APS-C) come with different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was introduced 8 years prior to the K-r and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Pentax K-r being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the E-1 scores versus the K-r when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-1 & Pentax K-r. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Pentax K-r Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-1 enjoys physical dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") along with a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) and the Pentax K-r has dimensions of 125mm x 97mm x 68mm (4.9" x 3.8" x 2.7") having a weight of 598 grams (1.32 lbs).

See the Olympus E-1 versus Pentax K-r in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the E-1 versus the K-r.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-1 and K-r is 59 and 67 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing only by checking out technical specs. The graphic underneath will provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-1 and K-r.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-1 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Pentax K-r will provide greater detail using its extra 7 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots much more aggressively. The older E-1 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.