Olympus SP-800 UZ vs Pentax ist DS2

Following is a comprehensive overview of the Olympus SP-800 UZ versus Pentax ist DS2, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a large difference among the resolutions of the SP-800 UZ (14MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the SP-800 UZ (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) use different sensor sizing.

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The SP-800 UZ was brought out 4 years after the ist DS2 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SP-800 UZ being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a thorough comparison, below is a short summation of how the SP-800 UZ matches up vs the ist DS2 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SP-800 UZ & Pentax ist DS2. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SP-800 UZ Gallery & Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

When you are intending to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus SP-800 UZ provides outer measurements of 110mm x 90mm x 91mm (4.3" x 3.5" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 455 grams (1.00 lbs) and the Pentax ist DS2 has proportions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SP-800 UZ versus Pentax ist DS2 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have chosen during that time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the SP-800 UZ vs the ist DS2.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SP-800 UZ and ist DS2 is 69 and 68 respectively.

Generally, it's hard to imagine the difference in sensor sizes purely by seeing specifications. The pic here may offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-800 UZ and ist DS2.

To sum up, both of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The SP-800 UZ because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more challenging and the Olympus SP-800 UZ will show extra detail having its extra 8MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more recent SP-800 UZ provides an advantage with regard to sensor technology.