Olympus SZ-30MR vs Pentax K-500

Below, we will be reviewing the Olympus SZ-30MR versus Pentax K-500, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the SZ-30MR (16MP) and the K-500 (16MP) is pretty close but the SZ-30MR (1/2.3") and K-500 (APS-C) use totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The SZ-30MR was revealed 3 years earlier than the K-500 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SZ-30MR being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a short introduction of how the SZ-30MR grades versus the K-500 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus SZ-30MR and Pentax K-500. The full galleries are available at Olympus SZ-30MR Gallery and Pentax K-500 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera, you will need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-30MR enjoys outer dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-500 has sizing of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SZ-30MR versus Pentax K-500 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the SZ-30MR vs the K-500.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ-30MR and K-500 is 89 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, it is very tough to visualise the difference in sensor sizes just by looking through a spec sheet. The image below may offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-30MR and K-500.

As you can see, both of the cameras posses the exact same megapixel count albeit not the same sensor sizes. The SZ-30MR offers the smaller sensor which is going to make getting shallower depth of field more challenging. The more aged SZ-30MR will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.