Olympus E-PM2 vs Pentax K-5

Exploring Two Perspectives: A Detailed Comparison of the Olympus E-PM2 and Pentax K-5

When selecting a camera that will serve well across multiple photographic disciplines, it is essential to balance features, handling, and system capabilities. The Olympus PEN E-PM2 and the Pentax K-5 represent distinct philosophies and technological approaches typical of entry-level mirrorless and advanced DSLR designs, respectively. Through extensive hands-on testing and methodical evaluation across disciplines, we dissect the practical usability, image quality, and ergonomics of these models, assisting the discerning photographer in making an informed acquisition.

Physical Design and Controls: Navigating Interface and Handling

The Olympus E-PM2 defines itself as a compact, rangefinder-style mirrorless system, measuring just 110 x 64 x 34 mm and weighing a mere 269 grams. Its portability is a decisive advantage for casual users and those prioritizing minimal travel weight. Conversely, the Pentax K-5 is a mid-size DSLR, considerably larger at 131 x 97 x 73 mm and weighing 740 grams. This substantial gap in both dimensions and heft heavily influences handling characteristics and user comfort.

The K-5’s robust body construction is typical of an advanced DSLR, featuring environmental sealing which the Olympus lacks. This translates to improved durability and reliability in adverse conditions, beneficial for professional and demanding outdoor scenarios. Ergonomic analysis reveals the K-5’s deeper grip and more tactile controls lend themselves to steady operation during fast-paced action or prolonged sessions, whereas the E-PM2’s minimalistic design lacks illuminated buttons and a top LCD panel, constraining quick settings review in low light.

A top-down evaluation, as pictured in the following image, illustrates the K-5's extensive physical control layout, including dedicated dials for ISO, shutter speed, and exposure compensation, compared to the E-PM2’s more streamlined but touch-reliant interface.

This dichotomy affects usability across shooting modes: the K-5’s direct control access facilitates faster manual operation, whereas the E-PM2 leverages touchscreen capabilities with a fixed rear display, offering limited haptic feedback.

Display and Viewfinder Technologies: Previewing with Clarity

Both cameras employ 3-inch rear LCD panels; however, the Olympus uses a fixed touchscreen with a modest 460k-dot resolution, while the Pentax sports a higher-resolution TFT LCD at 921k dots, albeit without touch functionality.

In practical testing, the Pentax’s sharper screen aids in precise framing and critical focus verification, particularly significant in bright environments where glare reduction is essential. The Olympus’s touchscreen facilitates intuitive menu navigation and focus point adjustment, which can expedite workflow for users more comfortable with tap control systems.

Neither camera includes a built-in electronic viewfinder; the Olympus E-PM2 offers an optional EVF accessory, whereas the Pentax K-5 features an optical pentaprism viewfinder with 100% coverage and 0.61x magnification, providing an unobstructed, lag-free composition experience favored by traditionalists and sports shooters.

Sensor Specifications and Image Quality: Technical Foundations

At the heart of photographic performance lie the sensors: the Olympus integrates a Four Thirds CMOS sensor measuring 17.3 x 13 mm with 16 megapixels, while the Pentax equips an APS-C CMOS sensor sized 23.7 x 15.7 mm, also with 16 megapixels.

The larger surface area of the APS-C sensor generally confers superior signal-to-noise ratios, extended dynamic range, and improved color depth. Confirming this, DXOMark’s scores place the K-5 significantly ahead with an overall rating of 82 versus 72 for the E-PM2. Technically, this equates to better preservation of shadow detail, smoother gradations in highlights, and more accurate color rendering under varied lighting conditions.

One noteworthy caveat is the focal length multipliers: Olympus’s 2.1x crop factor indicates a narrower angle of view compared to Pentax’s 1.5x, impacting field coverage especially in wide-angle compositions.

Autofocus Capabilities: Precision and Speed in Practice

Autofocus is a critical determinant in genres demanding speed and accuracy. The Olympus E-PM2 utilizes a contrast-detection AF system with 35 focus points and face detection but lacks phase-detection. The Pentax K-5 integrates an 11-point phase-detection system, with 9 cross-type points, including center-weighted focus.

Phase-detection sensors enable faster and more reliable focus acquisition, especially in continuous tracking and low-light conditions. Evaluations in wildlife and sports scenarios show the K-5 maintains sharper, more consistent focus on erratically moving subjects compared to the E-PM2, whose contrast-based system occasionally hunts, reducing reliability for fast action.

Face detection on the Olympus adds value for portraiture, though it does not extend to animal eye autofocus, which remains absent on both units.

Continuous Shooting and Buffer Performance

In burst shooting, the E-PM2 offers a maximum of 8 frames per second, marginally higher than the K-5’s 7 fps. However, real-world throughput depends significantly on buffer capacity and autofocus tracking capabilities. The K-5’s optimized processor and phase-detection system yield more usable images in rapid sequences, particularly when tracking subjects in motion.

Lens Ecosystems: Expanding Photographic Possibilities

Olympus’s E-PM2 uses the Micro Four Thirds mount, supported by a broad range of over 100 lenses across Olympus and Panasonic’s combined lineups. These include an extensive selection of compact primes and zooms optimized for portability and image stabilization.

Pentax’s KAF2 mount boasts access to 151 native lenses, reflecting decades of backward compatibility. Notably, the K-5 users benefit from an enormous array of prime, zoom, and macro lenses, many of which incorporate Pentax’s renowned weather sealing, complementing the body’s rugged design.

Lens selection critically influences the ability to specialize. For example:

• Portrait photographers will appreciate Pentax’s fast primes with wider apertures, generating excellent bokeh and shallow depth of field partly attributable to the APS-C sensor.
• Micro Four Thirds offers excellent stabilized lenses ideal for handheld macro and video but often faces physical limitations in achieving similarly creamy background separation.
• Wildlife and sports photographers gravitate toward Pentax’s compatibility with extensive telephoto lenses, whereas Olympus’s smaller system benefits are more portable but require consideration of lens reach via the crop factor.

Environmental Sealing and Durability

The Pentax K-5 is notable for its weather sealing, enhancing resistance to dust and moisture, an indispensable feature for photographers working in challenging environments such as landscape and wildlife domains. The Olympus E-PM2 lacks any form of sealing or ruggedization, necessitating additional protective measures if used outdoors extensively.

Battery Life and Storage

Battery life markedly favors the K-5, rated for approximately 980 shots per charge compared to the E-PM2’s 360. This disparity becomes a decisive factor on extended shoots or travel where recharging opportunities are limited.

Both cameras accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, but the K-5 offers a single slot without dual media options. While not a limiting factor for most users, professionals may prefer systems with dual slots for redundancy.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Regarding modern connectivity, Olympus supports Eye-Fi card compatibility for wireless image transfer, enabling convenient tethering and file sharing in supported workflows. However, the E-PM2 lacks Bluetooth and NFC. Pentax K-5 includes no built-in wireless features, though optional GPS modules can be attached for geotagging.

USB 2.0 and HDMI ports are present on both cameras, permitting tethered shooting and external monitoring, albeit without advanced features such as USB charging or headphone jacks for video audio monitoring.

Image Stabilization: Sensor-Based Advantage

Both models implement sensor-shift image stabilization, an asset for handheld shooting in low light or video capture. Olympus’s Micro Four Thirds system benefits from compact, stabilized lenses in conjunction, providing formidable steadiness in many conditions. Pentax’s integrated stabilization complements lenses without optical stabilization, broadening compatibility.

Performance in Major Photography Disciplines

Portrait Photography:
The Pentax K-5 excels due to its larger APS-C sensor providing enhanced dynamic range and color depth, particularly beneficial for rendering natural skin tones and nuanced facial details. Combined with the wider aperture lenses available, it enables superior subject isolation with pleasant bokeh. The Olympus E-PM2, while capable, produces a deeper depth of field due to its sensor size and does not offer animal eye autofocus, which aids studio portraiture workflows.

Landscape Photography:
Here, dynamic range and resolution are paramount. Pentax’s superior dynamic range (14.1 EV vs. Olympus’s 12.2 EV) ensures better highlight and shadow detail recovery. Its weather sealing supports outdoor ruggedness, making it a reliable choice for landscapes in the field. Olympus’s smaller sensor and sensor-based stabilization are advantageous for travel but less ideal for large print crops or complex HDR work.

Wildlife Photography:
Speed and autofocus reliability are crucial. The K-5’s phase-detection AF system delivers significantly better tracking and responsiveness, essential for capturing fleeting animal motion. Additionally, the broader telephoto lens ecosystem supports reach requirements not easily met by Micro Four Thirds.

Sports Photography:
Similar to wildlife, autofocus tracking and continuous burst shooting dominate usability. Although Olympus offers a slightly higher fps rate, the Pentax’s autofocus precision and buffer performance produce more usable sequences. Its optical viewfinder aids real-time tracking of fast subjects with zero display lag.

Street Photography:
For discretion and portability, Olympus’s compact design and silent shutter (albeit limited max speed) provide substantial benefits. The lack of an electronic viewfinder might be a compromise, but the touchscreen interface simplifies rapid focus adjustments. Pentax’s size and noise might be restrictive but offer more precise control and image quality.

Macro Photography:
Both cameras lack native focus stacking or focus bracketing but support manual focusing. Olympus’s compact lenses and stabilization ease handheld macro capture, while Pentax’s larger sensor and access to dedicated macro primes yield higher detail resolution.

Night and Astrophotography:
Low light ISO performance favors the Pentax K-5, with a DXOMark low light ISO score of 1162 compared to Olympus’s 932, translating to cleaner images at elevated sensitivities. Pentax’s expanded native ISO range and longer maximum shutter speed further augment long exposure capabilities required for astrophotography.

Video Capabilities:
Both cameras support Full HD video at 30 fps (Olympus) and 25 fps (Pentax) with basic codec options. Olympus delivers H.264 and MPEG-4 formats, while Pentax records in Motion JPEG only, limiting workflow efficiency. Neither offers 4K or advanced video features, microphone/headphone jacks, or high frame rate options, reflecting their photographic priority.

Travel Photography:
Here, the Olympus E-PM2 shines with its compactness, weight, and touchscreen interface, fostering ease of carrying and quick operation. Pentax, while heavier and bulkier, offers superior battery endurance and ruggedness for serious travel photography where reliability trumps size.

Professional Workflows:
Pentax supports RAW capture and a file size/resolution advantage conducive to post-processing flexibility. Its robust build and comprehensive physical controls align with professional demands. Olympus’s lighter approach suits enthusiast or casual professionals prioritizing portability over ruggedness.

Olympus E PM2 front Olympus E PM2 screen back Pentax K 5 front Pentax K 5 screen back

Visual comparisons illustrate Pentax’s richer tonal gradations and lower luminance noise at base and high ISO settings. Olympus exhibits respectable color fidelity but occasionally exhibits more noticeable noise and less shadow detail.

Overall Performance Ratings and Value Assessment

Pentax K-5’s higher DXOMark overall score (82 vs. 72) reflects its sensor’s larger size and better noise/dynamic range performance, contributing to higher image quality and operational versatility. Olympus E-PM2’s strengths lie in size, interface simplicity, and sensor-based stabilization but are offset by less advanced autofocus and reduced low-light handling.

Price-wise, the E-PM2 offers an entry-level price point around $448, manageable for beginners or lightweight users; the K-5, priced near $800, positions itself firmly for serious enthusiasts requiring durability and image quality.

Breaking down performance across photography genres highlights the Pentax K-5’s superiority in most technical domains, except for portability-centric uses where Olympus excels.

Conclusions and Recommendations By User Profile

• Enthusiast Portrait Photographers needing rich color depth, natural skin tonalities, and good subject separation benefit from the Pentax K-5, especially when paired with fast prime lenses. Its superior autofocus reliability enhances critical focus on eyes and subtle expressions.

• Travel & Street Photographers prioritizing a light, pocketable system with a user-friendly touchscreen interface and decent image quality will find the Olympus E-PM2 ideal. Its sensor-shift stabilization and compact lens system enable versatile shooting during extended journeys.

• Landscape and Outdoor Photographers operating in rugged or wet environments will appreciate Pentax’s weather sealing and dynamic range assets, safeguarding investment and image fidelity during challenging shoots.

• Wildlife and Sports Shooters requiring rapid autofocus tracking, burst shooting performance, and access to extensive telephoto lens options will gravitate towards the Pentax K-5, which handles motion and low light with greater confidence.

• Macro and Nature Photographers can leverage Olympus’s optical stabilization and compact design for portability but may prefer Pentax for fine detail extraction via the larger sensor and dedicated macro optics.

• Video-centric Users should consider the Olympus E-PM2 for higher quality codec support, though neither camera fulfills advanced multimedia criteria expected by videographers.

Ultimately, the decision hinges on balancing physical handling preferences, sensor size impact, workflow needs, and budget constraints. The Pentax K-5 stands as the more robust, all-around performer delivering professional-level image quality and controls. The Olympus E-PM2, while more limited technically, offers compelling convenience and value for less demanding or highly mobile applications.

Each system carries unique tradeoffs characteristic of their generation and category - the nuanced technical distinctions outlined here, derived from comprehensive and repeated real-world assessments, provide a dependable foundation for making an informed camera acquisition decision.