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Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3

Portability
88
Imaging
40
Features
48
Overall
43
Olympus SH-50 front
 
Pentax K-3 front
Portability
59
Imaging
66
Features
85
Overall
73

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 Key Specs

Olympus SH-50
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 269g - 112 x 63 x 42mm
  • Introduced January 2013
Pentax K-3
(Full Review)
  • 24MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3.2" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 51200
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 800g - 131 x 100 x 77mm
  • Introduced April 2014
  • Refreshed by Pentax K-3 II
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Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 Overview

Lets look closer at the Olympus SH-50 versus Pentax K-3, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a considerable difference between the image resolutions of the SH-50 (16MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the SH-50 (1/2.3") and K-3 (APS-C) posses different sensor size.

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The SH-50 was manufactured 15 months before the K-3 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise view of how the SH-50 matches up vs the K-3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SH-50 over the Pentax K-3

 SH-50 K-3 
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Pentax K-3 over the Olympus SH-50

 K-3 SH-50 
IntroducedApril 2014January 2013More recent by 15 months
Screen dimensions3.2"3"Bigger screen (+0.2")
Screen resolution1037k460kCrisper screen (+577k dot)

Common features in the Olympus SH-50 and Pentax K-3

 SH-50 K-3 
Manual focus Very precise focusing
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 Physical Comparison

In case you're going to lug around your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus SH-50 provides outside measurements of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Pentax K-3 has specifications of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

See the Olympus SH-50 versus Pentax K-3 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the SH-50 compared to the K-3.

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 size comparison

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SH-50 and K-3 is 88 and 59 respectively.

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 Sensor Comparison

In many cases, its hard to imagine the gap between sensor measurements merely by going over technical specs. The graphic here might give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-50 and K-3.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SH-50 due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-3 will deliver greater detail due to its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older SH-50 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 sensor size comparison

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus SH-50
Portrait photography with Pentax K-3
44
has manual focus
decent megapixels (16MP)
provides face detection focus
external flash not possible
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
79
has manual focus
MP count decent (24MP)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
offers face detect focusing
saves RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus SH-50 Street photography highlights
Pentax K-3 Street photography highlights
64
image stabilization (Optical)
boasts focus by touch
lighter than competition in class (269 grams)
screen does not articulate
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
69
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
saves RAW files
weather sealing
very good ISO range (51,200)
screen is fixed
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SH-50 Sports photography details
Pentax K-3 Sports photography details
48
amazing zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16MP)
provides tracking autofocus
no shutter priority mode
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect auto focus
76
max shutter speed is good (1/8,000 seconds)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (24 megapixels)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
offers tracking focus
weather sealing
sensor has phase detect AF
low battery (560 CIPA)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SH-50 as a Travel photography camera
Pentax K-3 as a Travel photography camera
69
lighter than competition in class (269g)
boasts focus by touch
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
really wide (25mm)
very long zoom (600mm)
no Timelapse mode
screen isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
60
weather sealing
MP count decent (24MP)
built-in flash
low battery (560 shots)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SH-50 as a Landscape photography camera
Pentax K-3 as a Landscape photography camera
49
has manual focus
really wide (25mm)
nice screen size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (16MP)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
no Timelapse mode
78
has manual focus
change lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
pretty good screen size (3.2")
image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (24 megapixels)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
does not have anti aliasing filter
very good ISO range (51,200)
saves RAW files
weather sealing
has double storage slots
low battery (560 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SH-50 as a Vlogging camera
Pentax K-3 as a Vlogging camera
34
really wide (25mm)
screen is touchscreen
image stabilization (Optical)
provides face detection focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
lighter than competition in class (269 grams)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.0)
screen isn't selfie friendly
no external microphone support
34
image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detect focusing
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
includes microphone port
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
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Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-3 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SH-50 and Pentax K-3
 Olympus SH-50Pentax K-3
General Information
Company Olympus Pentax
Model Olympus SH-50 Pentax K-3
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Advanced DSLR
Introduced 2013-01-08 2014-04-10
Body design Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic VI Prime III
Sensor type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 24 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Maximum resolution 4608 x 3456 6016 x 4000
Maximum native ISO 6400 51200
Lowest native ISO 125 100
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points - 27
Cross focus points - 25
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens Pentax KAF2
Lens focal range 25-600mm (24.0x) -
Highest aperture f/3.0-6.9 -
Macro focus distance 5cm -
Total lenses - 151
Crop factor 5.8 1.5
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3" 3.2"
Screen resolution 460 thousand dot 1,037 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Screen tech - TFT LCD monitor
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.64x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 15s 30s
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000s 1/8000s
Continuous shooting speed 12.0 frames/s 8.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 4.00 m 13.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync Auto, on, off, red-eye, slow sync, slow sync + red-eye, trailing curtain sync, high speed, wireless, manual
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Maximum flash sync - 1/180s
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 480fps (176 x 128), 240fps (384 x 288) 1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 269 gr (0.59 lbs) 800 gr (1.76 lbs)
Physical dimensions 112 x 63 x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") 131 x 100 x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 80
DXO Color Depth score not tested 23.7
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 13.4
DXO Low light score not tested 1216
Other
Battery life - 560 photos
Style of battery - Battery Pack
Battery model SLB-10A D-LI90
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, Pet Auto Shutter) Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots Single 2
Cost at launch $300 $639