Olympus VH-515 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

In this article, we are matching up the Olympus VH-515 and Pentax K-5 IIs, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the VH-515 (12MP) and K-5 IIs (16MP) and the VH-515 (1/2.3") and K-5 IIs (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The VH-515 was unveiled 9 months earlier than the K-5 IIs so they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus VH-515 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 IIs being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a short overview of how the VH-515 matches up versus the K-5 IIs with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus VH-515 and Pentax K-5 IIs. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus VH-515 Gallery and Pentax K-5 IIs Gallery.

If you're looking to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus VH-515 enjoys external measurements of 102mm x 60mm x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") with a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs) and the Pentax K-5 IIs has measurements of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Look at the Olympus VH-515 and Pentax K-5 IIs in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached at that time. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the VH-515 and the K-5 IIs.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the VH-515 and K-5 IIs is 95 and 60 respectively.

Often, it is difficult to envision the contrast in sensor measurements only by viewing technical specs. The photograph below might give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the VH-515 and K-5 IIs.

As you have seen, both cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The VH-515 using its smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field tougher and the Pentax K-5 IIs will result in greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a little more aggressively. The older VH-515 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.