Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Lets take a deeper look at the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Pentax K-5 IIs, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Olympus and Pentax. There exists a big gap among the image resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and K-5 IIs (16MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and K-5 IIs (APS-C) posses different sensor size.

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The XZ-2 iHS was launched 5 months earlier than the K-5 IIs and they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 IIs being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going into a thorough comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the XZ-2 iHS grades versus the K-5 IIs with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Pentax K-5 IIs. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery and Pentax K-5 IIs Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS enjoys outside dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") and a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 IIs has measurements of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Check the Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Pentax K-5 IIs in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the XZ-2 iHS vs the K-5 IIs.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the XZ-2 iHS and K-5 IIs is 85 and 60 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to imagine the difference in sensor measurements purely by going through technical specs. The visual below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the XZ-2 iHS and K-5 IIs.

As you have seen, both of the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The XZ-2 iHS due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more challenging and the Pentax K-5 IIs will show extra detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures way more aggressively.