Olympus E-PL9 vs Pentax K-5

On this page, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-PL9 vs Pentax K-5, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the K-5 (16MP) is pretty similar but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and K-5 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL9 was released 7 years later than the K-5 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a short view of how the E-PL9 scores versus the K-5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL9 & Pentax K-5. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera, you have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL9 has physical dimensions of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) while the Pentax K-5 has proportions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL9 vs Pentax K-5 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose at that time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL9 versus the K-5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL9 and K-5 is 85 and 60 respectively.

More often than not, it can be difficult to envision the difference between sensor sizing just by reading a spec sheet. The visual here should offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL9 and K-5.

Clearly, the 2 cameras have the same megapixel count albeit not the same sensor sizing. The E-PL9 comes with the tinier sensor which is going to make obtaining shallow DOF more difficult. The newer E-PL9 is going to have an advantage in sensor tech.