Olympus E-PL8 vs Pentax ist DL2

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL8 versus Pentax ist DL2, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There exists a huge gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL8 (16MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and ist DL2 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL8 was released 10 years later than the ist DL2 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick summation of how the E-PL8 scores versus the ist DL2 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Pentax ist DL2. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Pentax ist DL2 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL8 has 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) and the Pentax ist DL2 has proportions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL8 versus Pentax ist DL2 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are using at that time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PL8 versus the ist DL2.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and ist DL2 is 86 and 69 respectively.

More often than not, it's hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizing merely by reviewing specs. The photograph below may give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL8 and ist DL2.

All in all, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL8 featuring a tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Olympus E-PL8 will offer you extra detail as a result of its extra 10MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images more aggressively. The younger E-PL8 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.