Olympus E-510 vs Pentax K-01

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus E-510 vs Pentax K-01, former is a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and K-01 (16MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and K-01 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-510 was released 5 years prior to the K-01 which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Pentax K-01 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the E-510 scores versus the K-01 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-510 & Pentax K-01. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-510 Gallery & Pentax K-01 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-510 has got external dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-01 has dimensions of 122mm x 79mm x 58mm (4.8" x 3.1" x 2.3") and a weight of 561 grams (1.24 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-510 vs Pentax K-01 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at that time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the E-510 vs the K-01.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-510 and K-01 is 69 and 76 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to see the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading through a spec sheet. The image underneath should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-510 and K-01.

Clearly, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-510 because of its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Pentax K-01 will give extra detail as a result of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The more aged E-510 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.