Olympus E-500 vs Pentax Q10

In this article, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-500 and Pentax Q10, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and Q10 (12MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and Q10 (1/2.3") come with different sensor dimensions.

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The E-500 was brought out 7 years earlier than the Q10 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Pentax Q10 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a complete comparison, below is a simple view of how the E-500 grades versus the Q10 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-500 and Pentax Q10. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Pentax Q10 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera regularly, you're going to have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-500 enjoys external dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) whilst the Pentax Q10 has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-500 and Pentax Q10 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the E-500 compared to the Q10.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and Q10 is 70 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing just by going through technical specs. The graphic here might give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-500 and Q10.

As you have seen, the two cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-500 due to its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Pentax Q10 will show greater detail having its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots a little more aggressively. The older E-500 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.