Olympus 550WP vs Pentax K-30

Following is a comprehensive review of the Olympus 550WP and Pentax K-30, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the 550WP (10MP) and K-30 (16MP) and the 550WP (1/2.3") and K-30 (APS-C) feature different sensor sizes.

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The 550WP was released 4 years prior to the K-30 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 550WP being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the 550WP matches up versus the K-30 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 550WP and Pentax K-30. The complete galleries are available at Olympus 550WP Gallery and Pentax K-30 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus 550WP has got outside measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") having a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) and the Pentax K-30 has proportions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

See the Olympus 550WP and Pentax K-30 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the 550WP and the K-30.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 550WP and K-30 is 94 and 63 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes simply by seeing a spec sheet. The picture underneath will help offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the 550WP and K-30.

As you can see, both of those cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The 550WP because of its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF harder and the Pentax K-30 will provide greater detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos much more aggressively. The more aged 550WP will be behind with regard to sensor tech.