Olympus SH-3 vs Pentax ist DS2

Below, we are analyzing the Olympus SH-3 and Pentax ist DS2, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by brands Olympus and Pentax. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the SH-3 (16MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the SH-3 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) use totally different sensor sizes.

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The SH-3 was released 10 years later than the ist DS2 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the SH-3 matches up vs the ist DS2 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus Stylus SH-3 and Pentax ist DS2. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus SH-3 Gallery and Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus SH-3 enjoys external measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") having 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") with a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Look at the Olympus SH-3 and Pentax ist DS2 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are employing at that moment. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the SH-3 vs the ist DS2.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SH-3 and ist DS2 is 88 and 68 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to see the gap between sensor sizing purely by reading through specs. The photograph below should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SH-3 and ist DS2.

All in all, both of these cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The SH-3 featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Olympus SH-3 will give extra detail as a result of its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos much more aggressively. The fresher SH-3 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.