Olympus E-300 vs Pentax ist DS2

The following is a in depth review of the Olympus E-300 and Pentax ist DS2, both Advanced DSLR cameras by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There exists a noticeable gap among the image resolutions of the E-300 (8MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the E-300 (Four Thirds) and ist DS2 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor size.

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The E-300 was revealed 7 months before the ist DS2 and they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (Mid-size SLR).

Before getting through a full comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-300 grades versus the ist DS2 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-300 & Pentax ist DS2. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-300 Gallery & Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera regularly, you are going to need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-300 enjoys physical measurements of 147mm x 85mm x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") having a weight of 624 grams (1.38 lbs) and the Pentax ist DS2 has specifications of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-300 and Pentax ist DS2 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you choose at that time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the E-300 against the ist DS2.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-300 and ist DS2 is 67 and 68 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to see the difference in sensor dimensions merely by looking through technical specs. The picture underneath will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-300 and ist DS2.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-300 using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus E-300 will render greater detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images much more aggressively. The more aged E-300 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.