Pentax E85 vs Pentax ist DL2

Let's examine more closely at the Pentax E85 and Pentax ist DL2, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR and they are both manufactured by Pentax. There is a sizeable difference between the resolutions of the E85 (12MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the E85 (1/2.3") and ist DL2 (APS-C) use different sensor sizes.

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The E85 was released 3 years later than the ist DL2 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Pentax E85 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief summation of how the E85 scores vs the ist DL2 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio E85 and Pentax ist DL2. The complete galleries are viewable at Pentax E85 Gallery and Pentax ist DL2 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor its weight and volume. The Pentax E85 comes with physical dimensions of 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") with a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Pentax ist DL2 has sizing of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax E85 and Pentax ist DL2 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the E85 compared to the ist DL2.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E85 and ist DL2 is 95 and 69 respectively.

Often, it is tough to picture the contrast between sensor sizing simply by reading through specs. The graphic below might offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E85 and ist DL2.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E85 due to its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Pentax E85 will resolve more detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images much more aggressively. The more modern E85 should have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.