Olympus E-P3 vs Pentax ist DS2

The following is a in-depth comparison of the Olympus E-P3 and Pentax ist DS2, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. There exists a huge gap among the image resolutions of the E-P3 (12MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and ist DS2 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-P3 was launched 6 years after the ist DS2 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a short introduction of how the E-P3 grades against the ist DS2 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P3 and Pentax ist DS2. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-P3 Gallery and Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera, you need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P3 offers physical measurements of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") with a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) while the Pentax ist DS2 has dimensions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-P3 and Pentax ist DS2 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-P3 and the ist DS2.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P3 and ist DS2 is 86 and 68 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions simply by researching technical specs. The picture here should give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-P3 and ist DS2.

As you have seen, both cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-P3 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving bokeh trickier and the Olympus E-P3 will render greater detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images more aggressively. The more recent E-P3 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.