Olympus SP-810 UZ vs Pentax ist DS2

Lets look a bit more closely at the Olympus SP-810 UZ vs Pentax ist DS2, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference between the image resolutions of the SP-810 UZ (14MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the SP-810 UZ (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) have different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SP-810 UZ was introduced 6 years later than the ist DS2 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-810 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple summation of how the SP-810 UZ grades against the ist DS2 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SP-810 UZ & Pentax ist DS2. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus SP-810 UZ Gallery & Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-810 UZ has external measurements of 106mm x 76mm x 74mm (4.2" x 3.0" x 2.9") along with a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs) whilst the Pentax ist DS2 has dimensions 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-810 UZ vs Pentax ist DS2 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the SP-810 UZ compared to the ist DS2.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the SP-810 UZ and ist DS2 is 78 and 68 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to picture the contrast between sensor sizing purely by reviewing specs. The photograph here will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-810 UZ and ist DS2.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SP-810 UZ using its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Olympus SP-810 UZ will deliver extra detail using its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots more aggressively. The more recent SP-810 UZ should have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.