Olympus E-PL1s vs Pentax ist DS2

Below, we will be comparing the Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax ist DS2, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the E-PL1s (12MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the E-PL1s (Four Thirds) and ist DS2 (APS-C) use totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL1s was brought out 5 years after the ist DS2 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL1s being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a complete comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL1s matches up versus the ist DS2 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL1s & Pentax ist DS2. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL1s Gallery & Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera frequently, you should consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL1s provides outside measurements of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) while the Pentax ist DS2 has specifications of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL1s and Pentax ist DS2 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL1s versus the ist DS2.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL1s and ist DS2 is 86 and 68 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions merely by checking a spec sheet. The picture below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL1s and ist DS2.

As you can see, the two cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1s due to its tinier sensor will make shooting bokeh harder and the Olympus E-PL1s will give you greater detail having its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots much more aggressively. The fresher E-PL1s is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.