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Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1

Portability
81
Imaging
52
Features
70
Overall
59
Olympus OM-D E-M5 front
 
Pentax Q-S1 front
Portability
92
Imaging
38
Features
54
Overall
44

Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 Key Specs

Olympus E-M5
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 425g - 122 x 89 x 43mm
  • Launched April 2012
  • Refreshed by Olympus E-M5 II
Pentax Q-S1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax Q Mount
  • 203g - 105 x 58 x 34mm
  • Announced August 2014
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Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 Overview

Here, we are analyzing the Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Pentax. There exists a large gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and Q-S1 (12MP) and the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and Q-S1 (1/1.7") posses totally different sensor size.

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The E-M5 was introduced 3 years prior to the Q-S1 which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax Q-S1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-M5 matches up vs the Q-S1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-M5 over the Pentax Q-S1

 E-M5 Q-S1 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display resolution610k460kCrisper display (+150k dot)
Touch display Easily navigate

Reasons to pick Pentax Q-S1 over the Olympus E-M5

 Q-S1 E-M5 
AnnouncedAugust 2014April 2012Newer by 27 months

Common features in the Olympus E-M5 and Pentax Q-S1

 E-M5 Q-S1 
Manually focus More precise focus
Display size3"3"Same display size
Selfie screen Neither has selfie screen

Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 Physical Comparison

For those who are going to travel with your camera, you will have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M5 has outside measurements of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Pentax Q-S1 has measurements of 105mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 203 grams (0.45 lbs).

See the Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the E-M5 versus the Q-S1.

Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 and Q-S1 is 81 and 92 respectively.

Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, its hard to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions just by reading technical specs. The picture here may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M5 and Q-S1.

As you have seen, each of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 having a larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Olympus E-M5 will offer more detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-M5 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.

Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Portrait photography features
Pentax Q-S1 Portrait photography features
71
has manual focus
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
includes face detection autofocus
saves RAW files
46
focusing manually
offers face detect focusing
exports RAW formats
low MP (12MP)
tiny sensor size (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Street photography highlights
Pentax Q-S1 Street photography highlights
82
screen tilts up and down
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
features touch to focus
weather sealing
above average high ISO (25,600)
69
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
exports RAW formats
lighter than competition in class (203 grams)
screen is fixed
tiny sensor size (1/1.7")
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus E-M5
Sports photography with Pentax Q-S1
67
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
includes tracking autofocus
weather sealing
no phase detect autofocus
37
max shutter speed is good (1/8,000s)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers tracking focus
low frames per second (5.0 frames/s)
low MP (12MP)
tiny sensor size (1/1.7")
terrible battery power (250 per charge)
has no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Travel photography highlights
Pentax Q-S1 Travel photography highlights
66
weather sealing
features touch to focus
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
missing Timelapse mode
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
60
lighter than competition in class (203 grams)
has built in flash
terrible battery power (250 per charge)
low MP (12MP)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus E-M5
Landscape photography with Pentax Q-S1
73
has manual focus
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is decent (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
above average high ISO (25,600)
saves RAW files
weather sealing
missing Timelapse mode
55
focusing manually
interchangeable lenses (Pentax Q mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
exports RAW formats
low MP (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor size (1/1.7")
terrible battery power (250 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-M5 Vlogging factors
Pentax Q-S1 Vlogging factors
34
touch screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
includes face detection autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
missing external microphone socket
35
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detect focusing
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competition in class (203g)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
does not have microphone port
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Olympus E-M5 vs Pentax Q-S1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-M5 and Pentax Q-S1
 Olympus OM-D E-M5Pentax Q-S1
General Information
Manufacturer Olympus Pentax
Model type Olympus OM-D E-M5 Pentax Q-S1
Type Advanced Mirrorless Entry-Level Mirrorless
Launched 2012-04-30 2014-08-04
Body design SLR-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic VI Q Engine
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/1.7"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4608 x 3456 4000 x 3000
Highest native ISO 25600 12800
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW images
Min boosted ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Total focus points 35 -
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds Pentax Q
Total lenses 107 8
Crop factor 2.1 4.8
Screen
Range of display Tilting Fixed Type
Display sizing 3" 3"
Resolution of display 610k dot 460k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Display tech Touch control in electrostatic capacitance type OLED monitor -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic None
Viewfinder resolution 1,440k dot -
Viewfinder coverage 100 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.58x -
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/4000s 1/8000s
Continuous shooting speed 9.0 frames per sec 5.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 4.90 m (at ISO 100)
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync (2), Manual (3 levels) Auto, redeye reduction, slow sync, trailing curtain sync
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/250s -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (30,25, 24p), 1280 x 720 (30, 25, 24p), 640 x 480 (30, 25, 24p)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format H.264, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 425 grams (0.94 lb) 203 grams (0.45 lb)
Physical dimensions 122 x 89 x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") 105 x 58 x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 71 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 22.8 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.3 not tested
DXO Low light rating 826 not tested
Other
Battery life 360 shots 250 shots
Battery form Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLN-1 D-LI68
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC card
Storage slots One One
Pricing at launch $799 $250