Olympus SH-1 vs Pentax K-5 II

Below is a detailed analysis of the Olympus SH-1 and Pentax K-5 II, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the SH-1 (16MP) and the K-5 II (16MP) is pretty close but the SH-1 (1/2.3") and K-5 II (APS-C) possess different sensor size.

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The SH-1 was unveiled 10 months later than the K-5 II so they are both of a similar age. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus SH-1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting in to a complete comparison, below is a quick summary of how the SH-1 matches up against the K-5 II with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SH-1 & Pentax K-5 II. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-1 Gallery & Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

In case you're looking to lug around your camera, you have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SH-1 offers outside measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) and the Pentax K-5 II has dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SH-1 and Pentax K-5 II in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you choose during that time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the SH-1 vs the K-5 II.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SH-1 and K-5 II is 88 and 60 respectively.

More often than not, its tough to imagine the difference in sensor measurements purely by looking through specs. The visual below will give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-1 and K-5 II.

All in all, both the cameras enjoy the same exact megapixel count albeit different sensor measurements. The SH-1 has got the smaller sensor which should make getting shallower DOF trickier. The fresher SH-1 provides an edge with regard to sensor tech.