Olympus E-P3 vs Pentax K-5

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-P3 and Pentax K-5, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-P3 (12MP) and K-5 (16MP) and the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and K-5 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-P3 was introduced 9 months after the K-5 and they are of a similar age. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving into a in depth comparison, here is a quick summation of how the E-P3 matches up versus the K-5 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P3 & Pentax K-5. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-P3 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-P3 enjoys physical measurements of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") having a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) while the Pentax K-5 has proportions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-P3 and Pentax K-5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the E-P3 against the K-5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-P3 and K-5 is 86 and 60 respectively.

More often than not, it can be difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes only by seeing specifications. The image below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-P3 and K-5.

Plainly, both of those cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-P3 having a smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-5 will produce extra detail using its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more modern E-P3 will have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.