Pentax E70 vs Pentax ist DS2

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Pentax E70 and Pentax ist DS2, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR and both of them are manufactured by Pentax. There exists a sizeable gap between the resolutions of the E70 (10MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the E70 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor sizes.

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The E70 was introduced 3 years later than the ist DS2 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Pentax E70 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief summation of how the E70 grades against the ist DS2 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax Optio E70 and Pentax ist DS2. The whole galleries are viewable at Pentax E70 Gallery and Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and size. The Pentax E70 offers outer measurements of 94mm x 61mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs) and the Pentax ist DS2 has specifications of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Analyze the Pentax E70 and Pentax ist DS2 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the E70 compared to the ist DS2.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E70 and ist DS2 is 94 and 68 respectively.

Sometimes, it is hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizing simply by going over a spec sheet. The graphic below should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E70 and ist DS2.

As you can see, both cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E70 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field tougher and the Pentax E70 will offer you extra detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images far more aggressively. The fresher E70 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.