Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs
89 Imaging
37 Features
36 Overall
36
60 Imaging
57 Features
83 Overall
67
Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K-5 IIs Key Specs
(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
(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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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.
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firmsThe 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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This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus SZ-12 & Pentax K-5 IIs. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Pentax K-5 IIs Gallery.
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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduced | June 2013 | January 2012 | Fresher by 17 months | |
| Focus manually | Dial exact focus | |||
| Display resolution | 921k | 460k | Crisper display (+461k dot) |
Common features in the Olympus SZ-12 and Pentax K-5 IIs
| SZ-12 | K-5 IIs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display type | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed display | |
| Display size | 3" | 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.
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.

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