Pentax W90 vs Pentax ist DL2

Let's take a deeper look at the Pentax W90 vs Pentax ist DL2, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Advanced DSLR and both of them are built by Pentax. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the W90 (12MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the W90 (1/2.3") and ist DL2 (APS-C) posses different sensor size.

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The W90 was unveiled 4 years after the ist DL2 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Pentax W90 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a brief summation of how the W90 grades against the ist DL2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax Optio W90 and Pentax ist DL2. The full galleries are provided at Pentax W90 Gallery and Pentax ist DL2 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Pentax W90 has physical measurements of 108mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs) whilst the Pentax ist DL2 has dimensions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

Look at the Pentax W90 vs Pentax ist DL2 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select during that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the W90 vs the ist DL2.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the W90 and ist DL2 is 94 and 69 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to picture the gap in sensor sizes purely by researching a spec sheet. The picture below may offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the W90 and ist DL2.

Clearly, the two cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The W90 using its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax W90 will render greater detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos way more aggressively. The fresher W90 provides an advantage in sensor tech.