Olympus E-PL8 vs Pentax K-5 II

Lets look a bit more closely at the Olympus E-PL8 versus Pentax K-5 II, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the K-5 II (16MP) is pretty similar but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and K-5 II (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL8 was launched 3 years after the K-5 II which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short summary of how the E-PL8 scores vs the K-5 II when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Pentax K-5 II. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL8 provides external measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 II has sizing of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") having a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL8 versus Pentax K-5 II in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PL8 against the K-5 II.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL8 and K-5 II is 86 and 60 respectively.

Usually, it can be difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes purely by going over a spec sheet. The picture below should give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL8 and K-5 II.

Clearly, the 2 cameras feature the identical resolution albeit not the same sensor sizes. The E-PL8 has the tinier sensor which will make achieving bokeh trickier. The younger E-PL8 will have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.