Olympus E-M1 II vs Pentax ist DS2

Below, we are analyzing the Olympus E-M1 II and Pentax ist DS2, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the E-M1 II (20MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the E-M1 II (Four Thirds) and ist DS2 (APS-C) possess different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-M1 II was released 11 years later than the ist DS2 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M1 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a complete comparison, below is a short view of how the E-M1 II matches up against the ist DS2 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II & Pentax ist DS2. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-M1 II Gallery & Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 II provides physical measurements of 134mm x 91mm x 67mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 574 grams (1.27 lbs) while the Pentax ist DS2 has specifications of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-M1 II and Pentax ist DS2 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-M1 II vs the ist DS2.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 II and ist DS2 is 68 and 68 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to imagine the gap in sensor measurements merely by going through technical specs. The photograph underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 II and ist DS2.

As you have seen, both the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-M1 II featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF trickier and the Olympus E-M1 II will show more detail as a result of its extra 14MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos much more aggressively. The younger E-M1 II should have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.