Olympus E-3 vs Pentax K100D

Its time to examine more in depth at the Olympus E-3 vs Pentax K100D, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and K100D (6MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and K100D (APS-C) use different sensor sizing.

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The E-3 was brought out 15 months after the K100D which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Pentax K100D being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the E-3 grades vs the K100D with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-3 and Pentax K100D. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Pentax K100D Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera, you'll have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-3 has physical measurements of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") along with a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) whilst the Pentax K100D has dimensions of 129mm x 93mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-3 vs Pentax K100D in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the E-3 compared to the K100D.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-3 and K100D is 56 and 64 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to visualize the gap in sensor sizes purely by viewing a spec sheet. The image underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-3 and K100D.

As you can see, both cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-3 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Olympus E-3 will result in more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures much more aggressively. The more modern E-3 should have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.