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Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Portability
89
Imaging
37
Features
36
Overall
36
Olympus SZ-12 front
 
Pentax K-5 IIs front
Portability
60
Imaging
58
Features
83
Overall
68

Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs Key Specs

Olympus SZ-12
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 226g - 106 x 69 x 40mm
  • Announced January 2012
Pentax K-5 IIs
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Increase to 51200)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 760g - 131 x 97 x 73mm
  • Introduced June 2013
  • Succeeded the Pentax K-5
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Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs Overview

Here is a comprehensive review of the Olympus SZ-12 versus Pentax K-5 IIs, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the K-5 IIs (16MP) is fairly comparable but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and K-5 IIs (APS-C) offer different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-12 was introduced 17 months before the K-5 IIs making them a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 IIs being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting into a thorough comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the SZ-12 grades vs the K-5 IIs with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus SZ-12 over the Pentax K-5 IIs

 SZ-12 K-5 IIs 

Reasons to pick Pentax K-5 IIs over the Olympus SZ-12

 K-5 IIs SZ-12 
IntroducedJune 2013January 2012Fresher by 17 months
Focus manually Dial exact focus
Display resolution921k460kCrisper display (+461k dot)

Common features in the Olympus SZ-12 and Pentax K-5 IIs

 SZ-12 K-5 IIs 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display size3"3"Same display measurements
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen
Touch display Neither contains Touch display

Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs Physical Comparison

If you're looking to carry your camera regularly, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-12 has got outside measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax K-5 IIs has sizing of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SZ-12 versus Pentax K-5 IIs in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the SZ-12 and the K-5 IIs.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and K-5 IIs is 89 and 60 respectively.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs top view buttons comparison

Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it is hard to visualize the difference in sensor sizing simply by seeing technical specs. The photograph underneath will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ-12 and K-5 IIs.

As you have seen, both of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SZ-12 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-5 IIs will produce greater detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will help you crop pics way more aggressively. The older SZ-12 will be behind in sensor technology.

Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs sensor size comparison

Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs Screen and Viewfinder comparison
Photography Glossary

Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Portrait photography details
Pentax K-5 IIs Portrait photography details
33
good MP (14MP)
comes with face detect focusing
manual focus not available
manual exposure not available
cannot use external flash
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
74
has manual focus
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
features face detect autofocus
delivers RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 as a Street photography camera
Pentax K-5 IIs as a Street photography camera
60
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competitors (226 grams)
screen does not articulate
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
67
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
delivers RAW files
weather sealing
fixed screen
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Sports Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Sports photography info
Pentax K-5 IIs Sports photography info
40
incredible zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good MP (14MP)
comes with tracking focus
slow continuous shooting (1.0 fps)
lack of shutter priority mode
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
bad battery life (220 shots)
lacks phase detect AF
79
maximum shutter speed is high (1/8,000 seconds)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
features tracking focus
weather sealing
sensor has phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Travel photography features
Pentax K-5 IIs Travel photography features
65
lighter than competitors (226 grams)
good MP (14 megapixels)
flash built-in
decently wide (25mm)
very long reach (600mm)
no Timelapse function
bad battery life (220 CIPA)
display is not selfie friendly
slow max aperture (f3.0)
65
weather sealing
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
does not contain selfie friendly screen
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 Landscape photography factors
Pentax K-5 IIs Landscape photography factors
40
decently wide (25mm)
good sized screen (3")
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good MP (14 megapixels)
manual focus not available
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
manual exposure not available
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
bad battery life (220 CIPA)
no Timelapse function
79
has manual focus
swap lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
screen is a decent size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
no anti-alias filter
delivers RAW files
weather sealing
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus SZ-12 as a Vlogging camera
Pentax K-5 IIs as a Vlogging camera
31
decently wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
comes with face detect focusing
lighter than competitors (226 grams)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
display is not selfie friendly
video resolution low (1280 x 720 pxls)
no microphone jack
33
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
features face detect autofocus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
includes mic jack
does not contain selfie friendly screen
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Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus SZ-12 and Pentax K-5 IIs
 Olympus SZ-12Pentax K-5 IIs
General Information
Company Olympus Pentax
Model Olympus SZ-12 Pentax K-5 IIs
Class Small Sensor Superzoom Advanced DSLR
Announced 2012-01-10 2013-06-04
Body design Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - Prime II
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 372.1mm²
Sensor resolution 14MP 16MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio - 3:2
Peak resolution 4288 x 3216 4928 x 3264
Highest native ISO 1600 12800
Highest enhanced ISO - 51200
Minimum native ISO 80 100
RAW files
Minimum enhanced ISO - 80
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Number of focus points - 11
Cross focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens Pentax KAF2
Lens focal range 25-600mm (24.0x) -
Largest aperture f/3.0-6.9 -
Total lenses - 151
Crop factor 5.8 1.5
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3" 3"
Screen resolution 460k dot 921k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen technology TFT Color LCD TFT LCD monitor
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.61x
Features
Minimum shutter speed 4 seconds 30 seconds
Fastest shutter speed 1/1700 seconds 1/8000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 1.0fps 7.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range - 13.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync, High speed, Rear curtain and Wireless
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash sync - 1/180 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 180 (30fps) 1920 x 1080 (25 fps), 1280 x 720 (25, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (25, 30 fps)
Highest video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video format MPEG-4, H.264 Motion JPEG
Mic input
Headphone input
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 seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 226g (0.50 pounds) 760g (1.68 pounds)
Physical dimensions 106 x 69 x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") 131 x 97 x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested 82
DXO Color Depth score not tested 23.9
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 14.1
DXO Low light score not tested 1208
Other
Battery life 220 pictures 980 pictures
Type of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model LI-50B D-LI90
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots 1 1
Launch price $350 $749