Olympus SH-3 vs Pentax K-5

Its time to examine more in depth at the Olympus SH-3 and Pentax K-5, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the SH-3 (16MP) and the K-5 (16MP) is pretty close but the SH-3 (1/2.3") and K-5 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor size.

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The SH-3 was brought out 5 years later than the K-5 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief summary of how the SH-3 grades against the K-5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SH-3 and Pentax K-5. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SH-3 Gallery and Pentax K-5 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus SH-3 has external measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) and the Pentax K-5 has specifications of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus SH-3 and Pentax K-5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select at the time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the SH-3 and the K-5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SH-3 and K-5 is 88 and 60 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to visualize the difference in sensor sizing only by researching technical specs. The photograph here may provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the SH-3 and K-5.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have got the exact same megapixel count albeit different sensor sizing. The SH-3 uses the smaller sensor which will make obtaining bokeh tougher. The fresher SH-3 provides an advantage in sensor technology.