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Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80

Portability
67
Imaging
41
Features
31
Overall
37
Olympus E-300 front
 
Pentax Optio P80 front
Portability
95
Imaging
35
Features
23
Overall
30

Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 Key Specs

Olympus E-300
(Full Review)
  • 8MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 1.8" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 400 (Push to 1600)
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 624g - 147 x 85 x 64mm
  • Announced January 2005
  • Alternate Name is EVOLT E-300
  • Later Model is Olympus E-330
Pentax P80
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 64 - 6400
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-110mm (F2.6-5.8) lens
  • 125g - 102 x 59 x 25mm
  • Launched August 2009
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Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 Overview

Here, we are looking at the Olympus E-300 versus Pentax P80, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There exists a big gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-300 (8MP) and P80 (12MP) and the E-300 (Four Thirds) and P80 (1/2.3") have different sensor size.

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The E-300 was unveiled 5 years earlier than the P80 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-300 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Pentax P80 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-300 scores against the P80 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-300 over the Pentax P80

 E-300 P80 

Reasons to pick Pentax P80 over the Olympus E-300

 P80 E-300 
LaunchedAugust 2009January 2005Newer by 55 months
Display size2.7"1.8"Larger display (+0.9")
Display resolution230k134kClearer display (+96k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-300 and Pentax P80

 E-300 P80 
Manual focus More accurate focus
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Selfie screen Neither includes selfie screen
Touch display Neither includes Touch display

Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 Physical Comparison

For those who are going to travel with your camera often, you should factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-300 features outer measurements of 147mm x 85mm x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") along with a weight of 624 grams (1.38 lbs) whilst the Pentax P80 has proportions of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-300 versus Pentax P80 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the E-300 vs the P80.

Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-300 and P80 is 67 and 95 respectively.

Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 Sensor Comparison

Typically, it's difficult to picture the difference in sensor dimensions purely by viewing specifications. The picture below should give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-300 and P80.

To sum up, both cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-300 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Pentax P80 will provide you with more detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-300 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.

Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-300 Portrait photography features
Pentax P80 Portrait photography features
48
manual focus
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
doesn't have liveview
low megapixels (8MP)
27
has manual focus
manual mode not available
no external flash support
low resolution (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-300
Street photography with Pentax P80
51
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization
max ISO too low (400)
55
lighter than competition (125 grams)
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization
sensor is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-300 Sports photography highlights
Pentax P80 Sports photography highlights
37
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports phase detect AF
doesn't have liveview
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames per second)
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (8MP)
17
max shutter speed is low (1/1,000 seconds)
very slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority mode
does not have image stabilization
low resolution (12 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
has no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-300 as a Travel photography camera
Pentax P80 as a Travel photography camera
45
flash built-in
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
low megapixels (8 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly
62
lighter than competition (125g)
built-in flash
fairly wide (28mm)
doesn't have Timelapse mode
low resolution (12MP)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.6)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-300 as a Landscape photography camera
Pentax P80 as a Landscape photography camera
43
manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
screen is small (1.8")
doesn't have liveview
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (8MP)
max ISO too low (400)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
32
has manual focus
fairly wide (28mm)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.6)
screen is somewhat small (2.7 inches)
manual mode not available
does not have image stabilization
low resolution (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW support
doesn't have Timelapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-300 Vlogging info
Pentax P80 Vlogging info
9
can't shoot video
28
fairly wide (28mm)
lighter than competition (125g)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.6)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
does not have image stabilization
low video resolution (1280 x 720 pixels)
doesn't have microphone socket
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Olympus E-300 vs Pentax P80 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-300 and Pentax P80
 Olympus E-300Pentax Optio P80
General Information
Company Olympus Pentax
Model Olympus E-300 Pentax Optio P80
Also called EVOLT E-300 -
Class Advanced DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Announced 2005-01-10 2009-08-05
Physical type Mid-size SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Processor - Prime
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 8 megapixel 12 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3 and 16:9
Highest resolution 3264 x 2448 4000 x 3000
Highest native ISO 400 6400
Highest boosted ISO 1600 -
Min native ISO 100 64
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points 3 9
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 28-110mm (3.9x)
Maximum aperture - f/2.6-5.8
Macro focus range - 10cm
Available lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display sizing 1.8 inch 2.7 inch
Display resolution 134k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60s 4s
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000s 1/1000s
Continuous shooting rate 3.0fps 3.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range - 4.60 m
Flash settings Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye -
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/180s -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Highest video resolution None 1280x720
Video format - Motion JPEG
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 624 grams (1.38 lbs) 125 grams (0.28 lbs)
Physical dimensions 147 x 85 x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") 102 x 59 x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery model - D-LI68
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type Compact Flash (Type I or II) SD/SDHC, Internal
Card slots One One
Retail pricing $800 $200