Olympus E-PL8 vs Pentax K20D

Here is a in-depth comparison of the Olympus E-PL8 versus Pentax K20D, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the K20D (15MP) is fairly close but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and K20D (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL8 was released 8 years later than the K20D and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K20D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting through a complete comparison, below is a simple view of how the E-PL8 matches up versus the K20D for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Pentax K20D. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Pentax K20D Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL8 offers external dimensions 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 K20D has sizing of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") along with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL8 versus Pentax K20D in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you select at the time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL8 against the K20D.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL8 and K20D is 86 and 59 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizing just by viewing technical specs. The graphic underneath might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL8 and K20D.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL8 featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting bokeh harder and the Olympus E-PL8 will provide you with more detail as a result of its extra 1MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more modern E-PL8 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.