Olympus E-300 vs Pentax K-500

The Olympus Evolt E-300 and the Pentax K-500 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2004 and June 2013. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-300) and an APS-C (K-500) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 8 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 16.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-300		Pentax K-500
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
8 MP – Four Thirds sensor		16.1 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-400 (100 - 1,600)		ISO 100-51,200
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 134k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
2.5 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
750 shots per battery charge		710 shots per battery charge
147 x 85 x 64 mm, 624 g		130 x 97 x 71 mm, 646 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Evolt E-300 and the Pentax K-500? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-300 and the Pentax K-500 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-300 and the Pentax K-500 are of equal size. However, the K-500 is slightly heavier (4 percent) than the E-300. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-300 nor the K-500 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	US$ 799	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-500	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	646 g	710	n	Jun 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-1	141 mm	104 mm	81 mm	738 g	750	Y	Jun 2003	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-400	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Sep 2006	US$ 699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	US$ 799	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	US$ 699	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	US$ 699	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-5	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-30	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-50	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The K-500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 31 percent) than the E-300, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-300 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Pentax K-500 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the K-500 is 63 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the E-300 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the K-500 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 16.1MP, the K-500 offers a higher resolution than the E-300 (8MP), but the K-500 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.77μm versus 5.30μm for the E-300). Yet, the K-500 is a much more recent model (by 8 years and 8 months) than the E-300, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Pentax K-500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-300 are 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm for good quality, 13.1 x 9.8 inches or 33.2 x 24.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.9 x 8.2 inches or 27.6 x 20.7 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus Evolt E-300 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 400, which can be extended to ISO 100-1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-500 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the E-300 is build around a CCD sensor, while the K-500 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
2.		Pentax K-500	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.1	1087	79
3.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
4.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
5.		Olympus E-1	Four Thirds	4.9	2560	1920	none	20.0	9.7	-145	44
6.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
7.		Olympus E-400	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
8.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
9.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
10.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
11.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
12.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
13.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
14.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
15.		Pentax K-30	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1129	79
16.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
17.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The K-500 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-300 does not. The highest resolution format that the K-500 can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-300 and the K-500 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the K-500 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-300 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the K-500 has a higher magnification (0.61x vs 0.5x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-300 and Pentax K-500 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
2.		Pentax K-500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Olympus E-1	optical	Y	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
6.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-400	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
10.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Pentax K-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Pentax K-30	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Pentax K-50	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the K-500 and the E-300 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The K-500 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the E-300 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The Pentax K-500 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The E-300 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the K-500 uses SDXC cards. The E-300 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the K-500 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus Evolt E-300 and Pentax K-500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Pentax K-500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-400	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Pentax K-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Pentax K-30	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Pentax K-50	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

Both the E-300 and the K-500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-300 was replaced by the Olympus E-330, while the K-500 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-300 and K-500 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-500 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-300 or the Pentax K-500 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Olympus Evolt E-300:

• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2004).

Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-500:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (16.1 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 45%.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.61x vs 0.5x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 134k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (31 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 8 months of technical progress since the E-300 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-500 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 2 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-300 and the Pentax K-500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-300 or the K-500 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	US$ 799	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-500	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-1	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jun 2003	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-400	..	85/100	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2006	US$ 699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	US$ 799	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	US$ 699	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	US$ 699	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-5	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-30	4/5	..	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-50	5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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