Olympus E-P2 vs Pentax E85

Below, we are evaluating the Olympus E-P2 versus Pentax E85, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the E-P2 (12MP) and the E85 (12MP) is very comparable but the E-P2 (Four Thirds) and E85 (1/2.3") use different sensor sizing.

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The E-P2 was released 8 months later than the E85 and they are both of a similar age. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax E85 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-P2 matches up against the E85 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P2 & Pentax Optio E85. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-P2 Gallery & Pentax E85 Gallery.

When you are intending to carry your camera regularly, you have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P2 offers outer 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) whilst the Pentax E85 has sizing of 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-P2 versus Pentax E85 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the E-P2 vs the E85.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-P2 and E85 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to picture the contrast in sensor sizing just by going through a spec sheet. The visual below may give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P2 and E85.

As you can see, the two cameras posses the exact same resolution but different sensor sizing. The E-P2 features the larger sensor which should make obtaining shallow DOF easier. The more recent E-P2 should have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.