Olympus E-P1 vs Pentax ist DL2

Here, we will be looking at the Olympus E-P1 vs Pentax ist DL2, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a substantial difference between the resolutions of the E-P1 (12MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and ist DL2 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizing.

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The E-P1 was announced 3 years after the ist DL2 which is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-P1 scores against the ist DL2 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P1 & Pentax ist DL2. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-P1 Gallery & Pentax ist DL2 Gallery.

If you are intending to travel with your camera regularly, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-P1 has got exterior dimensions 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 ist DL2 has specifications of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-P1 vs Pentax ist DL2 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the E-P1 and the ist DL2.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P1 and ist DL2 is 86 and 69 respectively.

Often, it is very tough to imagine the difference between sensor dimensions simply by reading specs. The pic underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-P1 and ist DL2.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-P1 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Olympus E-P1 will offer more detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more modern E-P1 provides an edge when it comes to sensor tech.