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Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30

Portability
86
Imaging
54
Features
81
Overall
64
Olympus PEN E-PL7 front
 
Pentax K-30 front
Portability
63
Imaging
58
Features
66
Overall
61

Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL7
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 357g - 115 x 67 x 38mm
  • Revealed September 2014
  • Succeeded the Olympus E-PL6
  • Renewed by Olympus E-PL8
Pentax K-30
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Expand to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/6000s Max Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 650g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
  • Announced October 2012
  • Renewed by Pentax K-50
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Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 Overview

Lets look closer at the Olympus E-PL7 and Pentax K-30, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the K-30 (16MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and K-30 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL7 was released 23 months later than the K-30 making them a generation apart from each other. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving into a full comparison, here is a concise summary of how the E-PL7 scores against the K-30 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL7 over the Pentax K-30

 E-PL7 K-30 
AnnouncedSeptember 2014October 2012Fresher by 23 months
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display resolution1037k921kClearer display (+116k dot)
Selfie screen Take selfies
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Reasons to pick Pentax K-30 over the Olympus E-PL7

 K-30 E-PL7 

Common features in the Olympus E-PL7 and Pentax K-30

 E-PL7 K-30 
Manually focus Very precise focusing
Display dimensions3"3"Equal display dimensions

Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 Physical Comparison

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL7 offers outside measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") along with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) while the Pentax K-30 has proportions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL7 and Pentax K-30 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at that moment. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the E-PL7 and the K-30.

Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 size comparison

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL7 and K-30 is 86 and 63 respectively.

Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 Sensor Comparison

Oftentimes, it is hard to see the contrast between sensor sizing only by checking a spec sheet. The visual underneath should provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL7 and K-30.

As you can see, both of the cameras provide the same resolution but not the same sensor sizing. The E-PL7 contains the tinier sensor which should make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult. The newer E-PL7 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL7 Portrait photography advice
Pentax K-30 Portrait photography advice
72
focusing manually
megapixel count decent (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports face detection focusing
exports RAW formats
74
you can focus manually
good resolution (16MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
offers face detection focus
delivers RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL7 Street photography information
Pentax K-30 Street photography information
84
has a tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
offers touch focus
great high ISO (25,600)
68
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
weather proofing
fixed screen
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL7 Sports photography advice
Pentax K-30 Sports photography advice
67
image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports tracking autofocus
no phase detect AF
67
high shutter speed (1/6,000 seconds)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
good resolution (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
offers tracking autofocus
weather proofing
sensor has phase detect auto focus
very slow continuous shooting (6.0 fps)
bad battery life (410 per charge)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PL7 Travel photography highlights
Pentax K-30 Travel photography highlights
85
offers touch focus
megapixel count decent (16 megapixels)
selfie friendly screen
60
weather proofing
good resolution (16MP)
flash built-in
bad battery life (410 shots)
does not contain selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus E-PL7
Landscape photography with Pentax K-30
80
focusing manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (16MP)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
great high ISO (25,600)
exports RAW formats
73
you can focus manually
switch lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
good sized screen (3")
image stabilization (Sensor based)
good resolution (16MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
weather proofing
bad battery life (410 shots)
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL7 Vlogging factors
Pentax K-30 Vlogging factors
78
selfie friendly screen
touchscreen enabled
image stabilization (Sensor based)
supports face detection focusing
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
missing external microphone support
30
image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detection focus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
does not contain selfie friendly display
missing external mic port
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Olympus E-PL7 vs Pentax K-30 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL7 and Pentax K-30
 Olympus PEN E-PL7Pentax K-30
General Information
Brand Olympus Pentax
Model type Olympus PEN E-PL7 Pentax K-30
Type Entry-Level Mirrorless Advanced DSLR
Revealed 2014-09-01 2012-10-29
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Chip TruePic VII Prime M
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds APS-C
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 372.1mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Max resolution 4608 x 3456 4928 x 3264
Max native ISO 25600 12800
Max enhanced ISO - 25600
Min native ISO 100 100
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Total focus points 81 11
Cross type focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds Pentax KAF2
Amount of lenses 107 151
Crop factor 2.1 1.5
Screen
Range of display Tilting Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3" 3"
Display resolution 1,037k dot 921k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Display technology - TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.61x
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60s 30s
Fastest shutter speed 1/4000s 1/6000s
Continuous shutter speed 8.0 frames/s 6.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance no built-in flash 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash settings no built-in flash Auto, On, Off, Red-eye,Slow Sync, Slow Sync+ Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash sync - 1/180s
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format H.264, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 357 grams (0.79 pounds) 650 grams (1.43 pounds)
Physical dimensions 115 x 67 x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") 130 x 97 x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 72 79
DXO Color Depth rating 22.7 23.7
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.4 13.0
DXO Low light rating 873 1129
Other
Battery life 350 images 410 images
Battery form Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLS-50 D-LI109,4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, custom) Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots One One
Price at release $499 $525