Olympus E-P2 vs Pentax K-500

In this write-up, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-P2 vs Pentax K-500, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There exists a big gap between the resolutions of the E-P2 (12MP) and K-500 (16MP) and the E-P2 (Four Thirds) and K-500 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-P2 was launched 4 years earlier than the K-500 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go through a full comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-P2 scores vs the K-500 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P2 and Pentax K-500. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-P2 Gallery and Pentax K-500 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-P2 features outside measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") and a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-500 has proportions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-P2 vs Pentax K-500 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at the time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the E-P2 vs the K-500.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P2 and K-500 is 86 and 64 respectively.

Typically, its tough to picture the difference between sensor measurements purely by looking at technical specs. The photograph underneath should provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P2 and K-500.

As you have seen, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-P2 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-500 will give you more detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older E-P2 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.