Olympus VH-515 vs Pentax K-500

Here is a extended review of the Olympus VH-515 vs Pentax K-500, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the VH-515 (12MP) and K-500 (16MP) and the VH-515 (1/2.3") and K-500 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

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The VH-515 was manufactured 15 months earlier than the K-500 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus VH-515 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving into a detailed comparison, here is a simple overview of how the VH-515 scores versus the K-500 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus VH-515 and Pentax K-500. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus VH-515 Gallery and Pentax K-500 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera regularly, you are going to need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus VH-515 provides exterior measurements of 102mm x 60mm x 21mm (4.0" x 2.4" x 0.8") having a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-500 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Check the Olympus VH-515 vs Pentax K-500 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Here is a front view size comparison of the VH-515 versus the K-500.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the VH-515 and K-500 is 95 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to envision the difference between sensor sizing simply by reading specifications. The graphic below may give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the VH-515 and K-500.

To sum up, both of these cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The VH-515 due to its tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-500 will offer you more detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The older VH-515 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.