Olympus 9000 vs Pentax ist DS2

Following is a in depth assessment of the Olympus 9000 vs Pentax ist DS2, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a significant difference between the resolutions of the 9000 (12MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the 9000 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The 9000 was announced 3 years after the ist DS2 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 9000 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a in depth comparison, below is a short highlight of how the 9000 grades versus the ist DS2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus 9000 and Pentax ist DS2. The whole galleries are available at Olympus 9000 Gallery and Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera, you'll have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus 9000 provides physical measurements of 96mm x 60mm x 31mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.2") and a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Pentax ist DS2 has dimensions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

See the Olympus 9000 vs Pentax ist DS2 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using at that time. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the 9000 vs the ist DS2.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the 9000 and ist DS2 is 92 and 68 respectively.

Often, its tough to visualise the difference between sensor sizes just by going over specs. The picture below should give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the 9000 and ist DS2.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The 9000 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Olympus 9000 will offer greater detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images much more aggressively. The more modern 9000 will have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.