Olympus SH-1 vs Pentax 645D

On this page, we are contrasting the Olympus SH-1 and Pentax 645D, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Pro DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the SH-1 (16MP) and 645D (40MP) and the SH-1 (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) boast different sensor sizing.

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The SH-1 was launched 4 years later than the 645D and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before diving into a complete comparison, here is a concise view of how the SH-1 matches up versus the 645D in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-1 & Pentax 645D. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-1 Gallery & Pentax 645D Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-1 offers exterior measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645D has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") having a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus SH-1 and Pentax 645D in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the SH-1 and the 645D.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SH-1 and 645D is 88 and 50 respectively.

Often, it can be hard to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements simply by going through technical specs. The graphic below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-1 and 645D.

As you can tell, both the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SH-1 due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Pentax 645D will show greater detail utilizing its extra 24MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics more aggressively. The more recent SH-1 should have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.