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Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D

Portability
77
Imaging
44
Features
36
Overall
40
Olympus E-420 front
 
Pentax 645D front
Portability
50
Imaging
76
Features
52
Overall
66

Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D Key Specs

Olympus E-420
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 426g - 130 x 91 x 53mm
  • Launched June 2008
  • Older Model is Olympus E-410
Pentax 645D
(Full Review)
  • 40MP - Medium format Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 200 - 1600
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • No Video
  • Pentax 645AF2 Mount
  • 1480g - 156 x 117 x 119mm
  • Revealed March 2010
  • Replacement is Pentax 645Z
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Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D Overview

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus E-420 and Pentax 645D, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Pro DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There exists a substantial gap between the image resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and 645D (40MP) and the E-420 (Four Thirds) and 645D (Medium format) use totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-420 was announced 20 months before the 645D making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before delving through a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-420 matches up vs the 645D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-420 over the Pentax 645D

 E-420 645D 

Reasons to pick Pentax 645D over the Olympus E-420

 645D E-420 
RevealedMarch 2010June 2008More recent by 20 months
Display dimension3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution921k230kClearer display (+691k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-420 and Pentax 645D

 E-420 645D 
Manually focus Dial accurate focus
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Selfie screen Neither provides selfie screen
Touch friendly display No Touch friendly display

Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D Physical Comparison

If you are looking to lug around your camera often, you will want to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-420 provides outside measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") accompanied by a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Pentax 645D has proportions of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") with a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

See the Olympus E-420 and Pentax 645D in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the E-420 against the 645D.

Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-420 and 645D is 77 and 50 respectively.

Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it can be difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The photograph below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-420 and 645D.

As you can see, the two cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-420 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Pentax 645D will offer you more detail with its extra 30 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The older E-420 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.

Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D sensor size comparison

Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-420 Portrait photography highlights
Pentax 645D Portrait photography highlights
56
manual focus
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
MP count low (10 megapixels)
77
you can focus manually
MP count excellent (40 megapixels)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
saves RAW formats
doesn't have liveview
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-420 Street photography info
Pentax 645D Street photography info
64
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
lighter than competition in class (426 grams)
no moving screen
does not have image stabilization
58
sensor size is great (Medium format)
saves RAW formats
environment proof
no moving screen
does not have image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-420 as a Sports photography camera
Pentax 645D as a Sports photography camera
38
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
has phase detect autofocus
painfully slow continuous shooting (4.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
MP count low (10MP)
not so great battery pack (500 shots)
63
MP count excellent (40MP)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
environment proof
sensor has phase detect auto focus
doesn't have liveview
slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
bad battery (800 per charge)
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus E-420
Travel photography with Pentax 645D
52
lighter than competition in class (426 grams)
built-in flash
lack of Timelapse recording
not so great battery pack (500 CIPA)
MP count low (10 megapixels)
does not have a selfie friendly display
55
environment proof
MP count excellent (40MP)
bad battery (800 CIPA)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-420 Landscape photography information
Pentax 645D Landscape photography information
47
manual focus
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
small screen (2.7")
does not have image stabilization
MP count low (10 megapixels)
not so great battery pack (500 per charge)
lack of Timelapse recording
72
you can focus manually
change lenses (Pentax 645AF2 mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
MP count excellent (40MP)
sensor size is great (Medium format)
does not have anti-alias filter
saves RAW formats
environment proof
two card slots
doesn't have liveview
does not have image stabilization
bad battery (800 per charge)
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-420 Vlogging details
Pentax 645D Vlogging details
9
can't record video
9
can't shoot video
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Olympus E-420 vs Pentax 645D Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-420 and Pentax 645D
 Olympus E-420Pentax 645D
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Pentax
Model type Olympus E-420 Pentax 645D
Class Entry-Level DSLR Pro DSLR
Launched 2008-06-23 2010-03-10
Physical type Compact SLR Large SLR
Sensor Information
Processor TruePic III Prime II
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds Medium format
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 44 x 33mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 1,452.0mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixels 40 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3
Highest resolution 3648 x 2736 7264 x 5440
Highest native ISO 1600 1600
Minimum native ISO 100 200
RAW pictures
Minimum boosted ISO - 100
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points 3 11
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds Pentax 645AF2
Available lenses 45 6
Focal length multiplier 2.1 0.8
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen size 2.7 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 230k dots 921k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen tech - TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle and with AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent 98 percent
Viewfinder magnification 0.46x 0.85x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 secs 30 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shooting rate 4.0 frames per sec 1.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 12.00 m (at ISO 100) no built-in flash
Flash settings Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync, Rear Curtain
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/180 secs 1/125 secs
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Highest video resolution None None
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 426 grams (0.94 pounds) 1480 grams (3.26 pounds)
Dimensions 130 x 91 x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") 156 x 117 x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 56 82
DXO Color Depth rating 21.5 24.6
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.4 12.6
DXO Low light rating 527 1262
Other
Battery life 500 pictures 800 pictures
Battery type Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID - D-LI90
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC
Card slots 1 Two
Launch cost $999 $4,000