Olympus E-5 vs Pentax K-500

Following is a thorough overview of the Olympus E-5 versus Pentax K-500, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference between the image resolutions of the E-5 (12MP) and K-500 (16MP) and the E-5 (Four Thirds) and K-500 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-5 was announced 3 years before the K-500 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting in to a in-depth comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the E-5 matches up against the K-500 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-5 & Pentax K-500. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-5 Gallery & Pentax K-500 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-5 has physical dimensions of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") having a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-500 has sizing of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-5 versus Pentax K-500 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the E-5 vs the K-500.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-5 and K-500 is 58 and 64 respectively.

Often, its hard to envision the gap between sensor sizes only by reading a spec sheet. The pic below should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-5 and K-500.

As you can see, the 2 cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-5 having a tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-500 will offer you extra detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The more aged E-5 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.