Olympus SH-1 vs Pentax ist DS2

Below is a complete assessment of the Olympus SH-1 and Pentax ist DS2, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a huge difference between the sensor resolutions of the SH-1 (16MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the SH-1 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The SH-1 was introduced 8 years later than the ist DS2 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SH-1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the SH-1 matches up versus the ist DS2 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-1 and Pentax ist DS2. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus SH-1 Gallery and Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera often, you should think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-1 features outer measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Pentax ist DS2 has measurements of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Examine the Olympus SH-1 and Pentax ist DS2 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are using at the time. Following is a front view size comparison of the SH-1 and the ist DS2.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the SH-1 and ist DS2 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Often, it can be tough to visualize the gap between sensor measurements purely by checking specs. The graphic underneath will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-1 and ist DS2.

All in all, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SH-1 with its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field tougher and the Olympus SH-1 will give you greater detail using its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop pics more aggressively. The more recent SH-1 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.