Olympus XZ-1 vs Pentax K100D

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus XZ-1 vs Pentax K100D, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and K100D (6MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and K100D (APS-C) provide different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The XZ-1 was manufactured 4 years after the K100D which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K100D being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go right into a complete comparison, here is a concise overview of how the XZ-1 scores versus the K100D for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus XZ-1 and Pentax K100D. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery and Pentax K100D Gallery.

When you are intending to carry around your camera often, you should take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus XZ-1 provides outside measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) while the Pentax K100D has sizing of 129mm x 93mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Compare the Olympus XZ-1 vs Pentax K100D in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the XZ-1 against the K100D.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-1 and K100D is 88 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, its difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizes simply by researching technical specs. The image underneath might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-1 and K100D.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The XZ-1 because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Olympus XZ-1 will provide you with greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The younger XZ-1 should have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.