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Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30

Portability
68
Imaging
45
Features
45
Overall
45
Olympus E-520 front
 
Pentax K-30 front
Portability
63
Imaging
57
Features
66
Overall
60

Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 Key Specs

Olympus E-520
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 552g - 136 x 92 x 68mm
  • Launched August 2008
  • Older Model is Olympus E-510
Pentax K-30
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Boost to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/6000s Max Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 650g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
  • Introduced October 2012
  • Renewed by Pentax K-50
Photography Glossary

Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 Overview

Below is a extensive analysis of the Olympus E-520 and Pentax K-30, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and K-30 (16MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and K-30 (APS-C) possess different sensor dimensions.

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The E-520 was unveiled 5 years earlier than the K-30 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a full comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-520 matches up against the K-30 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-520 over the Pentax K-30

 E-520 K-30 

Reasons to pick Pentax K-30 over the Olympus E-520

 K-30 E-520 
IntroducedOctober 2012August 2008More recent by 51 months
Screen sizing3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution921k230kClearer screen (+691k dot)

Common features in the Olympus E-520 and Pentax K-30

 E-520 K-30 
Manual focus More accurate focus
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch screen Neither provides Touch screen

Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 Physical Comparison

If you're intending to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-520 provides outer dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") accompanied by a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-30 has sizing of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-520 and Pentax K-30 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at the time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the E-520 compared to the K-30.

Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 size comparison

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-520 and K-30 is 68 and 63 respectively.

Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 Sensor Comparison

Usually, it is very tough to picture the gap between sensor measurements purely by going over specifications. The graphic below might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-520 and K-30.

Plainly, each of these cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-520 using its tinier sensor is going to make achieving bokeh harder and the Pentax K-30 will offer greater detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots a little more aggressively. The older E-520 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-520 Portrait photography details
Pentax K-30 Portrait photography details
59
focusing manually
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers face detection focusing
supports RAW formats
low MP (10MP)
74
has manual focus
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
features face detection focusing
exports RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-520 Street photography factors
Pentax K-30 Street photography factors
65
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
fixed screen
68
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
weather sealing
screen does not articulate
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus E-520
Sports photography with Pentax K-30
55
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
great battery pack (650 CIPA)
supports phase detect AF
slow frames per second (4.0 frames per second)
low MP (10 megapixels)
67
high shutter speed (1/6,000s)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
features tracking autofocus
weather sealing
sensor has phase detect AF
slow continuous shooting (6.0 frames per second)
bad battery power (410 shots)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-520 as a Travel photography camera
Pentax K-30 as a Travel photography camera
52
great battery pack (650 per charge)
built-in flash
missing Timelapse mode
low MP (10MP)
display is not selfie friendly
60
weather sealing
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
flash built-in
bad battery power (410 CIPA)
screen is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-520 Landscape photography info
Pentax K-30 Landscape photography info
58
focusing manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
great battery pack (650 shots)
small screen (2.7 inches)
low MP (10MP)
missing Timelapse mode
73
has manual focus
change lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
screen size is good (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
weather sealing
bad battery power (410 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-520 Vlogging information
Pentax K-30 Vlogging information
9
lack of video recording
30
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
features face detection focusing
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
missing external microphone support
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Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-30 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-520 and Pentax K-30
 Olympus E-520Pentax K-30
General Information
Brand Olympus Pentax
Model type Olympus E-520 Pentax K-30
Type Entry-Level DSLR Advanced DSLR
Launched 2008-08-20 2012-10-29
Physical type Compact SLR Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Chip - Prime M
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds APS-C
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 372.1mm²
Sensor resolution 10MP 16MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 3:2
Full resolution 3648 x 2736 4928 x 3264
Max native ISO 1600 12800
Max boosted ISO - 25600
Min native ISO 100 100
RAW data
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
AF continuous
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points 3 11
Cross type focus points - 9
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds Pentax KAF2
Amount of lenses 45 151
Crop factor 2.1 1.5
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 2.7" 3"
Resolution of screen 230 thousand dots 921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen tech - TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage 95% 100%
Viewfinder magnification 0.46x 0.61x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/6000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 4.0fps 6.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 12.00 m (at ISO 100) 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash options Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Red-eye,Slow Sync, Slow Sync+ Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Highest flash synchronize 1/180 seconds 1/180 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps)
Max video resolution None 1920x1080
Video data format - MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 552g (1.22 lbs) 650g (1.43 lbs)
Dimensions 136 x 92 x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") 130 x 97 x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 55 79
DXO Color Depth rating 21.4 23.7
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.4 13.0
DXO Low light rating 548 1129
Other
Battery life 650 pictures 410 pictures
Battery style Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID - D-LI109,4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse recording
Storage type Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots 1 1
Cost at launch $400 $525