Olympus E-5 vs Pentax 645D

Following is a complete comparison of the Olympus E-5 and Pentax 645D, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Pro DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the E-5 (12MP) and 645D (40MP) and the E-5 (Four Thirds) and 645D (Medium format) use different sensor dimensions.

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The E-5 was launched 11 months after the 645D so they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before going in to a complete comparison, below is a simple view of how the E-5 matches up against the 645D when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-5 & Pentax 645D. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-5 Gallery & Pentax 645D Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera, you have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-5 features external measurements of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645D has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") accompanied by a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-5 and Pentax 645D in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the E-5 against the 645D.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-5 and 645D is 58 and 50 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to picture the difference in sensor sizes only by looking through technical specs. The picture below should provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-5 and 645D.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-5 because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax 645D will result in extra detail utilizing its extra 28MP. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs much more aggressively. The fresher E-5 should have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.