Olympus XZ-1 vs Pentax X-5

Let's look much closer at the Olympus XZ-1 and Pentax X-5, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Pentax. There is a large difference between the image resolutions of the XZ-1 (10MP) and X-5 (16MP) and the XZ-1 (1/1.63") and X-5 (1/2.3") have different sensor dimensions.

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The XZ-1 was unveiled 19 months prior to the X-5 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus XZ-1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax X-5 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise summation of how the XZ-1 matches up vs the X-5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-1 & Pentax X-5. The full galleries are provided at Olympus XZ-1 Gallery & Pentax X-5 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus XZ-1 enjoys outer measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") with a weight of 275 grams (0.61 lbs) while the Pentax X-5 has proportions of 119mm x 86mm x 107mm (4.7" x 3.4" x 4.2") and a weight of 595 grams (1.31 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus XZ-1 and Pentax X-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the XZ-1 versus the X-5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-1 and X-5 is 88 and 65 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to imagine the gap between sensor measurements just by checking technical specs. The visual below might offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the XZ-1 and X-5.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The XZ-1 using its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Pentax X-5 will give extra detail having an extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older XZ-1 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.