Olympus E-5 vs Pentax K-5

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-5 and Pentax K-5, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the E-5 (12MP) and K-5 (16MP) and the E-5 (Four Thirds) and K-5 (APS-C) have different sensor measurements.

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The E-5 was unveiled 2 months later than the K-5 so they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras have the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-5 grades vs the K-5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-5 & Pentax K-5. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-5 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-5 provides outside 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 K-5 has sizing of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

See the Olympus E-5 and Pentax K-5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-5 vs the K-5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-5 and K-5 is 58 and 60 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to imagine the difference between sensor sizing merely by reading technical specs. The photograph below might give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-5 and K-5.

As you can tell, both cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-5 using its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Pentax K-5 will deliver more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop pics a bit more aggressively.