Olympus FE-4000 vs Pentax ist DL2

Here is a thorough assessment of the Olympus FE-4000 versus Pentax ist DL2, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the FE-4000 (12MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the FE-4000 (1/2.3") and ist DL2 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The FE-4000 was launched 3 years later than the ist DL2 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus FE-4000 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the FE-4000 grades against the ist DL2 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus FE-4000 and Pentax ist DL2. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-4000 Gallery and Pentax ist DL2 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera frequently, you need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus FE-4000 has got external measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) whilst the Pentax ist DL2 has sizing of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus FE-4000 versus Pentax ist DL2 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the FE-4000 against the ist DL2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the FE-4000 and ist DL2 is 95 and 69 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to see the gap in sensor sizing just by checking out technical specs. The graphic underneath should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-4000 and ist DL2.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FE-4000 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Olympus FE-4000 will produce more detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The more modern FE-4000 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.