Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Pentax ist DL2

Here, we will be analyzing the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Pentax ist DL2, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There exists a noticeable gap among the resolutions of the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") and ist DL2 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor size.

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The XZ-2 iHS was revealed 6 years later than the ist DL2 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the XZ-2 iHS grades vs the ist DL2 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus XZ-2 iHS & Pentax ist DL2. The full galleries are available at Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery & Pentax ist DL2 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus XZ-2 iHS offers external dimensions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs) whilst the Pentax ist DL2 has dimensions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

Check out the Olympus XZ-2 iHS and Pentax ist DL2 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you select at the time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the XZ-2 iHS vs the ist DL2.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the XZ-2 iHS and ist DL2 is 85 and 69 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to envision the difference in sensor sizing only by checking out technical specs. The graphic underneath will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the XZ-2 iHS and ist DL2.

As you have seen, each of these cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The XZ-2 iHS with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS will produce more detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more modern XZ-2 iHS will have an edge in sensor tech.