Olympus TG-870 vs Pentax K-x

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus TG-870 versus Pentax K-x, former being a Ultracompact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a sizable difference between the resolutions of the TG-870 (16MP) and K-x (12MP) and the TG-870 (1/2.3") and K-x (APS-C) use different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The TG-870 was manufactured 6 years later than the K-x and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus TG-870 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax K-x being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief overview of how the TG-870 grades versus the K-x for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 & Pentax K-x. The entire galleries are available at Olympus TG-870 Gallery & Pentax K-x Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus TG-870 provides physical measurements of 113mm x 64mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.1") with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Pentax K-x has sizing of 123mm x 92mm x 68mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 580 grams (1.28 lbs).

Check the Olympus TG-870 versus Pentax K-x in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the TG-870 against the K-x.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the TG-870 and K-x is 91 and 69 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to imagine the difference between sensor sizing simply by looking at technical specs. The photograph below should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the TG-870 and K-x.

As you can tell, both cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The TG-870 because of its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Olympus TG-870 will give extra detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs far more aggressively. The more modern TG-870 provides an edge with regard to sensor innovation.