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Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2

Portability
88
Imaging
40
Features
48
Overall
43
Olympus SH-50 front
 
Pentax ist DS2 front
Portability
68
Imaging
44
Features
33
Overall
39

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 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
  • Released January 2013
Pentax ist DS2
(Full Review)
  • 6MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 200 - 3200
  • Pentax KAF Mount
  • 605g - 125 x 93 x 66mm
  • Announced August 2005
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Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 Overview

Following is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus SH-50 and Pentax ist DS2, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There exists a considerable gap among the resolutions of the SH-50 (16MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the SH-50 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) feature different sensor size.

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The SH-50 was unveiled 7 years after the ist DS2 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SH-50 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go in to a thorough comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the SH-50 scores against the ist DS2 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SH-50 over the Pentax ist DS2

 SH-50 ist DS2 
AnnouncedJanuary 2013August 2005More modern by 90 months
Screen sizing3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution460k210kCrisper screen (+250k dot)
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Pentax ist DS2 over the Olympus SH-50

 ist DS2 SH-50 

Common features in the Olympus SH-50 and Pentax ist DS2

 SH-50 ist DS2 
Manually focus More accurate focus
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 Physical Comparison

In case you're planning to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus SH-50 has got physical measurements of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Pentax ist DS2 has sizing of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SH-50 and Pentax ist DS2 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the SH-50 against the ist DS2.

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SH-50 and ist DS2 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 top view buttons comparison

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it is very hard to imagine the gap in sensor sizes merely by checking out specs. The image underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-50 and ist DS2.

All in all, both cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SH-50 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more difficult and the Olympus SH-50 will produce more detail having an extra 10MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The younger SH-50 provides an edge in sensor innovation.

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 sensor size comparison

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SH-50 as a Portrait photography camera
Pentax ist DS2 as a Portrait photography camera
44
you can focus manually
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
has face detect focus
external flash not possible
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
50
has manual focus
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
does not have liveview
low MP (6 megapixels)
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Street Comparison

Olympus SH-50 as a Street photography camera
Pentax ist DS2 as a Street photography camera
64
has image stabilization (Optical)
includes touch to focus
lighter than average (269g)
fixed screen
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
60
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
lighter than competition (605g)
screen does not articulate
lack of image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SH-50 as a Sports photography camera
Pentax ist DS2 as a Sports photography camera
48
amazing zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
has tracking focus
no shutter priority
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect auto focus
38
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
has phase detect auto focus
does not have liveview
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 fps)
lack of image stabilization
low MP (6MP)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SH-50 Travel photography information
Pentax ist DS2 Travel photography information
69
lighter than average (269 grams)
includes touch to focus
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
built-in flash
really wide (25mm)
great reach (600mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
does not feature selfie friendly screen
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.0)
52
lighter than competition (605g)
built-in flash
no Time Lapse function
low MP (6MP)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SH-50 Landscape photography features
Pentax ist DS2 Landscape photography features
49
you can focus manually
really wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.0)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
46
has manual focus
change lenses (Pentax KAF mount)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
screen is somewhat small (2.5 inch)
does not have liveview
lack of image stabilization
low MP (6 megapixels)
no Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SH-50 Vlogging features
Pentax ist DS2 Vlogging features
34
really wide (25mm)
built-in touchscreen
has image stabilization (Optical)
has face detect focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than average (269g)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.0)
does not feature selfie friendly screen
doesn't have mic jack
22
lighter than competition (605 grams)
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
lack of image stabilization
low res video ( pxls)
no external mic socket
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Olympus SH-50 vs Pentax ist DS2 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SH-50 and Pentax ist DS2
 Olympus SH-50Pentax ist DS2
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Pentax
Model type Olympus SH-50 Pentax ist DS2
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Advanced DSLR
Released 2013-01-08 2005-08-22
Physical type Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by TruePic VI -
Sensor type BSI-CMOS CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.5 x 15.7mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 369.0mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 6MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Full resolution 4608 x 3456 3008 x 2008
Max native ISO 6400 3200
Minimum native ISO 125 200
RAW data
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points - 11
Lens
Lens support fixed lens Pentax KAF
Lens zoom range 25-600mm (24.0x) -
Highest aperture f/3.0-6.9 -
Macro focusing distance 5cm -
Number of lenses - 151
Crop factor 5.8 1.5
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 2.5 inch
Screen resolution 460k dots 210k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical
Viewfinder coverage - 95 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.64x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 15 secs 30 secs
Highest shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shooting rate 12.0fps 3.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 4.00 m -
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-eye reduction
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 480fps (176 x 128), 240fps (384 x 288) -
Max video resolution 1920x1080 -
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 -
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In No
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 269 gr (0.59 lbs) 605 gr (1.33 lbs)
Dimensions 112 x 63 x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") 125 x 93 x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery ID SLB-10A 4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, Pet Auto Shutter) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/MMC card
Card slots One One
Pricing at launch $300 -