Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax K-1 II

On this page, we are evaluating the Olympus SZ-30MR versus Pentax K-1 II, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a large difference among the resolutions of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and K-1 II (36MP) and the SZ-30MR (1/2.3") and K-1 II (Full frame) provide different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-30MR was announced 8 years before the K-1 II and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-30MR being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-1 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight to a thorough comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the SZ-30MR scores vs the K-1 II in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-30MR & Pentax K-1 Mark II. The whole galleries are available at Olympus SZ-30MR Gallery & Pentax K-1 II Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus SZ-30MR features physical measurements of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Pentax K-1 II has measurements of 137mm x 110mm x 86mm (5.4" x 4.3" x 3.4") having a weight of 1010 grams (2.23 lbs).

Check the Olympus SZ-30MR versus Pentax K-1 II in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you select at the time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the SZ-30MR compared to the K-1 II.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-30MR and K-1 II is 89 and 55 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizing simply by checking out technical specs. The photograph below will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ-30MR and K-1 II.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SZ-30MR having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-1 II will provide greater detail with its extra 20MP. Greater resolution will help you crop pics a bit more aggressively. The older SZ-30MR will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.