Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 II

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 II, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the K-5 II (16MP) is relatively well matched but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and K-5 II (APS-C) have totally different sensor size.

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The SZ-12 was unveiled 17 months prior to the K-5 II which makes them a generation away from each other. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight to a complete comparison, here is a concise overview of how the SZ-12 matches up versus the K-5 II when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus SZ-12 and Pentax K-5 II. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery and Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-12 has external dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 II has sizing of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Compare the Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 II in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the SZ-12 compared to the K-5 II.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ-12 and K-5 II is 89 and 60 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions only by looking at a spec sheet. The pic here will help give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-12 and K-5 II.

As you can see, both of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SZ-12 having a tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-5 II will resolve greater detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The more aged SZ-12 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.