Olympus E-PL5 vs Pentax K-7

Below is a in depth overview of the Olympus E-PL5 versus Pentax K-7, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the K-7 (15MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and K-7 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL5 was brought out 3 years later than the K-7 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-7 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL5 matches up against the K-7 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Pentax K-7. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Pentax K-7 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL5 offers outer dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Pentax K-7 has specifications of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 750 grams (1.65 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL5 versus Pentax K-7 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you choose at the time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL5 and the K-7.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and K-7 is 88 and 60 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to see the difference in sensor measurements only by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL5 and K-7.

As you can see, both of those cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 featuring a smaller sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field trickier and the Olympus E-PL5 will show extra detail having its extra 1 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The younger E-PL5 will have a benefit in sensor tech.