Olympus 8000 vs Pentax K-3

Here is a extended analysis of the Olympus 8000 and Pentax K-3, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There exists a large gap among the sensor resolutions of the 8000 (12MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the 8000 (1/2.3") and K-3 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The 8000 was introduced 5 years prior to the K-3 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus 8000 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving through a more detailed comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the 8000 grades vs the K-3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 & Pentax K-3. The whole galleries are available at Olympus 8000 Gallery & Pentax K-3 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus 8000 comes with outer dimensions of 95mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") along with a weight of 182 grams (0.40 lbs) while the Pentax K-3 has sizing of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") having a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus 8000 and Pentax K-3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the 8000 vs the K-3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 8000 and K-3 is 94 and 59 respectively.

Typically, its tough to see the contrast in sensor sizing merely by going through specs. The graphic below might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the 8000 and K-3.

All in all, the two cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The 8000 with its smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-3 will show more detail using its extra 12MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs far more aggressively. The older 8000 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.