Olympus 550WP vs Pentax K100D

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus 550WP and Pentax K100D, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the 550WP (10MP) and K100D (6MP) and the 550WP (1/2.3") and K100D (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

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The 550WP was announced 2 years later than the K100D and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus 550WP being a Compact camera and the Pentax K100D being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the 550WP grades against the K100D with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus 550WP and Pentax K100D. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus 550WP Gallery and Pentax K100D Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus 550WP comes with outside measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs) whilst the Pentax K100D has measurements of 129mm x 93mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.8") with a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Compare the Olympus 550WP and Pentax K100D in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you use at that time. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the 550WP vs the K100D.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the 550WP and K100D is 94 and 64 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to see the gap between sensor measurements merely by checking a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the 550WP and K100D.

Clearly, both of the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The 550WP using its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF harder and the Olympus 550WP will give you greater detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The more modern 550WP is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.