Olympus E-520 vs Pentax WS80

The following is a thorough overview of the Olympus E-520 and Pentax WS80, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Waterproof by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-520 (10MP) and the WS80 (10MP) is very comparable but the E-520 (Four Thirds) and WS80 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-520 was launched 11 months before the WS80 so they are of a similar generation. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Pentax WS80 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief summation of how the E-520 grades against the WS80 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-520 and Pentax Optio WS80. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Pentax WS80 Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera, you will need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 has outside dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Pentax WS80 has specifications of 92mm x 60mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 0.9") with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-520 and Pentax WS80 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-520 against the WS80.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-520 and WS80 is 68 and 95 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to see the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by seeing specs. The pic here will help give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-520 and WS80.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras posses the exact same megapixels but not the same sensor dimensions. The E-520 uses the larger sensor which is going to make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult. The more aged E-520 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.