Olympus XZ-10 vs Pentax K-5

Its time to look closer at the Olympus XZ-10 and Pentax K-5, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the XZ-10 (12MP) and K-5 (16MP) and the XZ-10 (1/2.3") and K-5 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-10 was manufactured 2 years later than the K-5 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus XZ-10 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a simple overview of how the XZ-10 matches up vs the K-5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus XZ-10 & Pentax K-5. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus XZ-10 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera, you need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-10 enjoys exterior dimensions of 102mm x 61mm x 34mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) and the Pentax K-5 has proportions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") having a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Check the Olympus XZ-10 and Pentax K-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the XZ-10 versus the K-5.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-10 and K-5 is 91 and 60 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements simply by checking specifications. The graphic underneath might offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the XZ-10 and K-5.

To sum up, both of these cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The XZ-10 because of its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-5 will give you greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will let you crop shots much more aggressively. The younger XZ-10 will have an edge with regard to sensor tech.