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Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500

Portability
88
Imaging
40
Features
48
Overall
43
Olympus SH-50 front
 
Pentax K-500 front
Portability
64
Imaging
58
Features
70
Overall
62

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 Key Specs

Olympus SH-50
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 269g - 112 x 63 x 42mm
  • Launched January 2013
Pentax K-500
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 51600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/6000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 646g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
  • Introduced November 2013
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Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 Overview

Let's look more closely at the Olympus SH-50 and Pentax K-500, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Pentax. The image resolution of the SH-50 (16MP) and the K-500 (16MP) is fairly close but the SH-50 (1/2.3") and K-500 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The SH-50 was brought out 10 months before the K-500 which means that they are of a similar age. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving through a detailed comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the SH-50 grades vs the K-500 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SH-50 over the Pentax K-500

 SH-50 K-500 
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Reasons to pick Pentax K-500 over the Olympus SH-50

 K-500 SH-50 
IntroducedNovember 2013January 2013More modern by 10 months
Display resolution921k460kClearer display (+461k dot)

Common features in the Olympus SH-50 and Pentax K-500

 SH-50 K-500 
Manually focus More accurate focusing
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display dimension3"3"Identical display measurement
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus SH-50 offers outside dimensions of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Pentax K-500 has specifications of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SH-50 and Pentax K-500 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is the front view size comparison of the SH-50 vs the K-500.

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SH-50 and K-500 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 Sensor Comparison

Typically, its hard to picture the gap in sensor sizes merely by researching a spec sheet. The image underneath will help give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SH-50 and K-500.

As you can see, each of these cameras posses the exact same megapixels but different sensor sizes. The SH-50 includes the smaller sensor which should make getting bokeh trickier. The more aged SH-50 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 sensor size comparison

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SH-50 Portrait photography information
Pentax K-500 Portrait photography information
44
manual focus
megapixel count good (16MP)
comes with face detect autofocus
cannot use external flash
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
74
you can focus manually
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
includes face detect focusing
exports RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Olympus SH-50 Street photography features
Pentax K-500 Street photography features
64
image stabilization (Optical)
comes with touch to focus
lighter than competition in class (269g)
fixed screen
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
68
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
great high ISO (51,600)
no moving screen
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SH-50 Sports photography info
Pentax K-500 Sports photography info
48
great zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count good (16MP)
comes with tracking focus
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect autofocus
72
maximum shutter speed is high (1/6,000s)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
good megapixels (16MP)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
includes tracking focus
good battery power (710 shots)
sensor has phase detect AF
max frames per second low (6.0 frames/s)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SH-50 as a Travel photography camera
Pentax K-500 as a Travel photography camera
69
lighter than competition in class (269 grams)
comes with touch to focus
megapixel count good (16MP)
flash built-in
decently wide (25mm)
long zoom (600mm)
lack of Timelapse function
display isn't selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
67
good battery power (710 per charge)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SH-50 Landscape photography advice
Pentax K-500 Landscape photography advice
49
manual focus
decently wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3")
image stabilization (Optical)
megapixel count good (16 megapixels)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
sensor size is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support
lack of Timelapse function
79
you can focus manually
switch lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
good sized screen (3")
image stabilization (Sensor based)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
great high ISO (51,600)
exports RAW formats
good battery power (710 shots)
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus SH-50
Vlogging with Pentax K-500
34
decently wide (25mm)
touchscreen capability
image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detect autofocus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competition in class (269g)
slow maximum aperture (f3.0)
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of microphone port
30
image stabilization (Sensor based)
includes face detect focusing
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
does not have microphone support
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Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax K-500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SH-50 and Pentax K-500
 Olympus SH-50Pentax K-500
General Information
Brand Olympus Pentax
Model type Olympus SH-50 Pentax K-500
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Entry-Level DSLR
Launched 2013-01-08 2013-11-27
Physical type Compact Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Processor TruePic VI PRIME M
Sensor type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 372.1mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Full resolution 4608 x 3456 4928 x 3264
Max native ISO 6400 51600
Min native ISO 125 100
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Total focus points - 11
Cross type focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens Pentax KAF2
Lens zoom range 25-600mm (24.0x) -
Maximal aperture f/3.0-6.9 -
Macro focusing range 5cm -
Available lenses - 151
Focal length multiplier 5.8 1.5
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display size 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of display 460 thousand dots 921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Display tech - TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.61x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 15s 30s
Highest shutter speed 1/2000s 1/6000s
Continuous shooting rate 12.0 frames per sec 6.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 4.00 m 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync, Slow Sync+Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize - 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 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 269g (0.59 lbs) 646g (1.42 lbs)
Dimensions 112 x 63 x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") 130 x 97 x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested 79
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 23.7
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 13.1
DXO Low light rating not tested 1087
Other
Battery life - 710 photographs
Battery style - AA
Battery ID SLB-10A 4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, Pet Auto Shutter) Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots Single Single
Retail price $300 $600