Olympus 8000 vs Pentax K-S2

Below, we will be analyzing the Olympus 8000 and Pentax K-S2, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a sizable difference among the sensor resolutions of the 8000 (12MP) and K-S2 (20MP) and the 8000 (1/2.3") and K-S2 (APS-C) come with different sensor dimensions.

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The 8000 was launched 6 years before the K-S2 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus 8000 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-S2 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting through a in-depth comparison, below is a short summation of how the 8000 grades against the K-S2 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 & Pentax K-S2. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus 8000 Gallery & Pentax K-S2 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus 8000 has outside measurements of 95mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 182 grams (0.40 lbs) and the Pentax K-S2 has proportions of 123mm x 91mm x 73mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.9") having a weight of 678 grams (1.49 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus 8000 and Pentax K-S2 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the 8000 and the K-S2.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the 8000 and K-S2 is 94 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to visualize the gap in sensor sizes purely by going through a spec sheet. The picture underneath may give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the 8000 and K-S2.

Clearly, each of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The 8000 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-S2 will show greater detail utilizing its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more aged 8000 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.