Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax K-S1

Lets examine more in depth at the Olympus E-M5 and Pentax K-S1, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the K-S1 (20MP) is very comparable but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and K-S1 (APS-C) feature different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 was unveiled 3 years earlier than the K-S1 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-S1 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a full comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-M5 matches up against the K-S1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Pentax K-S1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Pentax K-S1 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 has got outside measurements of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Pentax K-S1 has sizing of 121mm x 93mm x 70mm (4.8" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 558 grams (1.23 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M5 and Pentax K-S1 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at the time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the E-M5 versus the K-S1.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and K-S1 is 81 and 69 respectively.

Often, it is difficult to picture the gap in sensor sizes purely by going through specifications. The image underneath might give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M5 and K-S1.

To sum up, both the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-M5 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-S1 will show extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-M5 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.