Olympus SZ-11 vs Pentax K-500
89 Imaging
36 Features
37 Overall
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64 Imaging
57 Features
70 Overall
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Olympus SZ-11 vs Pentax K-500 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 80 - 1600
- Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
- 1280 x 720 video
- 25-500mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
- 226g - 106 x 69 x 40mm
- Introduced July 2011
(Full Review)
- 16MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 51600
- Sensor based Image Stabilization
- 1/6000s Maximum Shutter
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Pentax KAF2 Mount
- 646g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
- Revealed November 2013
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The following is a thorough assessment of the Olympus SZ-11 vs Pentax K-500, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the SZ-11 (14MP) and the K-500 (16MP) is relatively close but the SZ-11 (1/2.3") and K-500 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created ImagesThe SZ-11 was revealed 3 years before the K-500 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.
Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the SZ-11 grades against the K-500 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.
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Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-11 & Pentax K-500. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SZ-11 Gallery & Pentax K-500 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-11 over the Pentax K-500
| SZ-11 | K-500 |
|---|
Reasons to pick Pentax K-500 over the Olympus SZ-11
| K-500 | SZ-11 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revealed | November 2013 | July 2011 | Newer by 28 months | |
| Manual focus | Dial accurate focus | |||
| Screen resolution | 921k | 460k | Crisper screen (+461k dot) |
Common features in the Olympus SZ-11 and Pentax K-500
| SZ-11 | K-500 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen type | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed screen | |
| Screen dimensions | 3" | 3" | Equal screen measurements | |
| Selfie screen | Neither provides selfie screen | |||
| Touch friendly screen | Missing Touch friendly screen |
Olympus SZ-11 vs Pentax K-500 Physical Comparison
For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you will want to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus SZ-11 provides physical dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Pentax K-500 has specifications of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).
Take a look at the Olympus SZ-11 vs Pentax K-500 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are using at that time. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the SZ-11 compared to the K-500.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-11 and K-500 is 89 and 64 respectively.
Olympus SZ-11 vs Pentax K-500 Sensor Comparison
Usually, it is difficult to see the contrast in sensor dimensions only by viewing specs. The image underneath might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ-11 and K-500.
All in all, each of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-11 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Pentax K-500 will render more detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged SZ-11 will be behind in sensor tech.
Olympus SZ-11 vs Pentax K-500 Screen and ViewFinder
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Olympus SZ-11 vs Pentax K-500 Specifications
| Olympus SZ-11 | Pentax K-500 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Brand Name | Olympus | Pentax |
| Model type | Olympus SZ-11 | Pentax K-500 |
| Type | Small Sensor Superzoom | Entry-Level DSLR |
| Introduced | 2011-07-27 | 2013-11-27 |
| Physical type | Compact | Compact SLR |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Processor | TruePic III+ | PRIME M |
| Sensor type | CCD | 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 | 14 megapixels | 16 megapixels |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 and 16:9 | 3:2 |
| Full resolution | 4288 x 3216 | 4928 x 3264 |
| Max native ISO | 1600 | 51600 |
| Lowest native ISO | 80 | 100 |
| RAW support | ||
| Autofocusing | ||
| Focus manually | ||
| Touch focus | ||
| AF continuous | ||
| Single AF | ||
| Tracking AF | ||
| Selective AF | ||
| AF center weighted | ||
| Multi area AF | ||
| AF live view | ||
| Face detect AF | ||
| Contract detect AF | ||
| Phase detect AF | ||
| Total focus points | - | 11 |
| Cross type focus points | - | 9 |
| Lens | ||
| Lens mount type | fixed lens | Pentax KAF2 |
| Lens zoom range | 25-500mm (20.0x) | - |
| Maximal aperture | f/3.0-6.9 | - |
| Macro focusing range | 1cm | - |
| Available lenses | - | 151 |
| Crop factor | 5.8 | 1.5 |
| Screen | ||
| Display type | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
| Display size | 3 inch | 3 inch |
| Resolution of display | 460 thousand dots | 921 thousand dots |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch screen | ||
| Display tech | TFT Color LCD | TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating |
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder | None | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder coverage | - | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | - | 0.61x |
| Features | ||
| Lowest shutter speed | 4 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Highest shutter speed | 1/2000 seconds | 1/6000 seconds |
| Continuous shooting rate | 7.0 frames/s | 6.0 frames/s |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Expose Manually | ||
| Exposure compensation | - | Yes |
| Change WB | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Inbuilt flash | ||
| Flash distance | 9.30 m (@ ISO 1600) | 12.00 m (at ISO 100) |
| Flash modes | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync, Slow Sync+Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless |
| Hot shoe | ||
| Auto exposure bracketing | ||
| WB bracketing | ||
| Highest flash synchronize | - | 1/180 seconds |
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment | ||
| Average | ||
| Spot | ||
| Partial | ||
| AF area | ||
| Center weighted | ||
| Video features | ||
| Video resolutions | 1280 x 720 (30, 15fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15fps) | 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 | 1280x720 | 1920x1080 |
| Video file format | Motion JPEG | MPEG-4, H.264 |
| Microphone port | ||
| Headphone port | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | None | None |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | None | Optional |
| Physical | ||
| Environment sealing | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 226 grams (0.50 pounds) | 646 grams (1.42 pounds) |
| Physical dimensions | 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") | 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 | 200 photographs | 710 photographs |
| Battery type | Battery Pack | AA |
| Battery ID | LI-50B | 4 x AA |
| Self timer | Yes (2 or 12 sec) | Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds) |
| Time lapse feature | ||
| Type of storage | SD/SDHC/SDXC | SD/SDHC/SDXC |
| Card slots | Single | Single |
| Retail price | $253 | $600 |