Olympus SH-3 vs Pentax RS1500

The following is a comprehensive overview of the Olympus SH-3 vs Pentax RS1500, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the SH-3 (16MP) and the RS1500 (14MP) is fairly comparable and they use the same exact sensor sizing (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SH-3 was unveiled 4 years after the RS1500 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the SH-3 matches up against the RS1500 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-3 & Pentax Optio RS1500. The full galleries are available at Olympus SH-3 Gallery & Pentax RS1500 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SH-3 enjoys outer dimensions 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 RS1500 has dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SH-3 vs Pentax RS1500 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at that time. Here is the front view size comparison of the SH-3 against the RS1500.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the SH-3 and RS1500 is 88 and 93 respectively.

Often, its difficult to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions just by going through a spec sheet. The image underneath may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-3 and RS1500.

As you can see, both of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but different MP. You can anticipate the Olympus SH-3 to show more detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images a little more aggressively. The fresher SH-3 provides an edge with regard to sensor innovation.