Olympus E-P1 vs Pentax KP

In this article, we will be matching up the Olympus E-P1 and Pentax KP, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There exists a big gap among the image resolutions of the E-P1 (12MP) and KP (24MP) and the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and KP (APS-C) possess totally different sensor measurements.

Supernova astonishes astronomers in ancient 12th century observations

The E-P1 was brought out 8 years prior to the KP which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax KP being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-P1 matches up against the KP when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Pentax KP. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Pentax KP Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera often, you will need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P1 has external measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") along with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) and the Pentax KP has sizing of 132mm x 101mm x 76mm (5.2" x 4.0" x 3.0") having a weight of 703 grams (1.55 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-P1 and Pentax KP in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select at the time. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the E-P1 compared to the KP.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P1 and KP is 86 and 61 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to see the difference in sensor sizes only by looking through specs. The pic here may offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-P1 and KP.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-P1 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field harder and the Pentax KP will result in more detail having its extra 12MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs far more aggressively. The more aged E-P1 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.