Olympus E-500 vs Pentax K-1 II

Let's take a deeper look at the Olympus E-500 vs Pentax K-1 II, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras by companies Olympus and Pentax. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and K-1 II (36MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and K-1 II (Full frame) feature different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was announced 13 years prior to the K-1 II which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer the identical body type (Mid-size SLR).

Before getting in to a complete comparison, below is a short summary of how the E-500 grades versus the K-1 II with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-500 and Pentax K-1 Mark II. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Pentax K-1 II Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-500 has outside dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) while the Pentax K-1 II has sizing of 137mm x 110mm x 86mm (5.4" x 4.3" x 3.4") with a weight of 1010 grams (2.23 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-500 vs Pentax K-1 II in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at that time. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the E-500 vs the K-1 II.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and K-1 II is 70 and 55 respectively.

Often, it is tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizes only by looking at technical specs. The picture here will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and K-1 II.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-500 with its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF tougher and the Pentax K-1 II will give more detail with its extra 28MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures far more aggressively. The more aged E-500 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.