Olympus FE-4000 vs Pentax ist DS2

Below, we are evaluating the Olympus FE-4000 vs Pentax ist DS2, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a considerable difference between the sensor resolutions of the FE-4000 (12MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the FE-4000 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor size.

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The FE-4000 was launched 3 years later than the ist DS2 and that is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus FE-4000 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the FE-4000 scores versus the ist DS2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus FE-4000 & Pentax ist DS2. The complete galleries are available at Olympus FE-4000 Gallery & Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus FE-4000 provides outside dimensions of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) while the Pentax ist DS2 has measurements of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Examine the Olympus FE-4000 vs Pentax ist DS2 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Here is the front view size comparison of the FE-4000 vs the ist DS2.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the FE-4000 and ist DS2 is 95 and 68 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to visualise the gap between sensor measurements purely by reading through specs. The visual underneath may give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FE-4000 and ist DS2.

All in all, the 2 cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FE-4000 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF tougher and the Olympus FE-4000 will resolve extra detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images much more aggressively. The more recent FE-4000 will have an edge in sensor innovation.