Olympus E-510 vs Pentax K-30

Here is a complete comparison of the Olympus E-510 versus Pentax K-30, both Advanced DSLR cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and K-30 (16MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and K-30 (APS-C) posses different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-510 was brought out 6 years earlier than the K-30 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short summary of how the E-510 matches up against the K-30 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-510 & Pentax K-30. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-510 Gallery & Pentax K-30 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-510 provides physical dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) while the Pentax K-30 has specifications of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-510 versus Pentax K-30 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the E-510 vs the K-30.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the E-510 and K-30 is 69 and 63 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to visualize the gap in sensor sizing merely by going through a spec sheet. The photograph below may provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-510 and K-30.

Clearly, both of the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-510 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Pentax K-30 will provide extra detail having its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The older E-510 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.