Olympus VH-515 vs Pentax K-5

Let's look more in depth at the Olympus VH-515 versus Pentax K-5, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the VH-515 (12MP) and K-5 (16MP) and the VH-515 (1/2.3") and K-5 (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The VH-515 was announced 21 months after the K-5 which makes them a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus VH-515 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the VH-515 scores against the K-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus VH-515 & Pentax K-5. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus VH-515 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera, you will have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus VH-515 provides outer measurements of 102mm x 60mm x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 has dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") and a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus VH-515 versus Pentax K-5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. The following is a front view sizing comparison of the VH-515 and the K-5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the VH-515 and K-5 is 95 and 60 respectively.

Generally, it's hard to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes only by seeing a spec sheet. The pic here will offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the VH-515 and K-5.

Clearly, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The VH-515 using its smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh tougher and the Pentax K-5 will provide more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more modern VH-515 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.