Olympus FE-45 vs Pentax X-5

Below is a complete review of the Olympus FE-45 versus Pentax X-5, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a crucial difference between the resolutions of the FE-45 (10MP) and X-5 (16MP) but they feature the exact same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FE-45 was announced 4 years prior to the X-5 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus FE-45 being a Compact camera and the Pentax X-5 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short highlight of how the FE-45 scores versus the X-5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus FE-45 and Pentax X-5. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus FE-45 Gallery and Pentax X-5 Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera frequently, you have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus FE-45 features external dimensions of 94mm x 62mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Pentax X-5 has measurements of 119mm x 86mm x 107mm (4.7" x 3.4" x 4.2") and a weight of 595 grams (1.31 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus FE-45 versus Pentax X-5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. The following is the front view dimensions comparison of the FE-45 compared to the X-5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the FE-45 and X-5 is 95 and 65 respectively.

Usually, it can be difficult to imagine the gap between sensor measurements simply by reviewing technical specs. The visual below should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the FE-45 and X-5.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different megapixels. You should anticipate the Pentax X-5 to deliver extra detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos much more aggressively. The older FE-45 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.