Olympus E-5 vs Pentax K-S1

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-5 and Pentax K-S1, both Advanced DSLR cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap among the resolutions of the E-5 (12MP) and K-S1 (20MP) and the E-5 (Four Thirds) and K-S1 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The E-5 was revealed 4 years before the K-S1 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before diving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-5 grades vs the K-S1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-5 & Pentax K-S1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-5 Gallery & Pentax K-S1 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry your camera, you should factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-5 provides outside dimensions of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) while the Pentax K-S1 has measurements of 121mm x 93mm x 70mm (4.8" x 3.7" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 558 grams (1.23 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-5 and Pentax K-S1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you select at the time. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the E-5 against the K-S1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-5 and K-S1 is 58 and 69 respectively.

More often than not, its difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizing just by seeing specifications. The photograph below may give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-5 and K-S1.

To sum up, both of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-5 with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field harder and the Pentax K-S1 will produce more detail because of its extra 8MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The older E-5 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.