Olympus E-420 vs Pentax Optio RS1500

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500
      55
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      47
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      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Olympus E-420 and the Pentax Optio RS1500, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Olympus E-420 was introduced in June 2008 and Pentax Optio RS1500 was introduced in March 2011. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Olympus E-420 Highlights

      • 10.0 MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 3 Focus Points
      • 2.7" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentamirror) Viewfinder
      • 3.5 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Pentax Optio RS1500 Highlights

      • 14 MP 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
      • 80 - 6,400 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points
      • 2.70" 230k dot Fixed Screen
      • 0.7 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1280 x 720 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      • Wheather Sealed Body
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Olympus E-420
      4. Advantage of Pentax Optio RS1500
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Olympus E-420 and Pentax Optio RS1500.

      PROS

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Light - 426 g (0.94 lb / 15.03 oz)
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Video Capture
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 157 g (0.35 lb / 5.54 oz)
      •   Internal Storage
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      •   No Video Capture
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.0 Megapixel
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.5 fps
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 56
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 14 Megapixel
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/1500 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.7 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Short Battery Life - 260 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Screen Size - 2.7"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      •   Screen Size - 2.70"

      Advantage of Olympus E-420

      Olympus E-420
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Olympus E-420 over Pentax Optio RS1500.

      Olympus E-420 vs Pentax Optio RS1500
      Larger Sensor Micro Four Thirds vs 1/2.3-inch
      RAW Support vs
      Selective Autofocus vs
      Continuous Autofocus vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) vs
      Lower Min Shutter Speed 60 sec vs 4 sec
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/1500 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 3.5 fps vs 0.7 fps
      External Flash Connectivity vs
      Manual Exposure Mode vs
      Aperture Priority vs
      Shutter Priority vs
      Longer Battery Life 500 shots vs 260 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Olympus E-420.

      Olympus E-410
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      Micro Four Thirds

      10.0 MP

      Olympus E-500
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      Micro Four Thirds

      8 MP

      Olympus E-450
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      Micro Four Thirds

      10.0 MP

      Olympus E-300
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      Micro Four Thirds

      8 MP

      Olympus E-330
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      Micro Four Thirds

      7.94 MP

      Olympus E-620
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12.3 MP

      Olympus E-510
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      Micro Four Thirds

      10.0 MP

      Olympus E-520
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      Micro Four Thirds

      10.0 MP

      Olympus E-5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12.3 MP

      Olympus E-400
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      Micro Four Thirds

      10.0 MP

      Olympus E-600
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12 MP

      Olympus E-30
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12 MP

      Advantage of Pentax Optio RS1500

      Pentax RS1500
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Pentax Optio RS1500 over Olympus E-420.

      Olympus E-420 vs Pentax Optio RS1500
      Video Capture vs
      Higher Sensor Resolution 10.0 Megapixel vs 14 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 80
      Higher Native ISO 1,600 vs 6,400
      Max Image Resolution 3648 x 2736 vs 4288 x 3216
      More Focus Points 3 vs 9
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Multi-Segment Metering vs
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs
      HDMI Output vs Type D Micro
      Built-in Microphone vs Mono
      Environmental Sealing vs
      Lighter 426 g (0.94 lb / 15.03 oz) vs 157 g (0.35 lb / 5.54 oz)
      Internal Storage vs 97 MB

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Pentax Optio RS1500.

      Nikon D80
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      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Nikon D40X
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      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Fujifilm S4200
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      1/2.3-inch

      14.0 MP

      Nikon D4
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      Full Frame

      16.2 MP

      Nikon D2X
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      APS-C

      12.4 MP

      Sony a7CR
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      Full Frame

      60.2 MP

      Nikon D50
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      APS-C

      6.1 MP

      Canon R10
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      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Nikon D1X
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      APS-C

      5.3 MP

      Fujifilm S3200
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      1/2.3-inch

      14.0 MP

      Canon SX30 IS
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      1/2.3-inch

      14.1 MP

      Sony a7C
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      Full Frame

      24.2 MP

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Olympus E-420 Pentax Optio RS1500
        Live View Autofocus
        Built-in Flash
        Light426 g (0.94 lb / 15.03 oz)157 g (0.35 lb / 5.54 oz)
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Olympus E-420 Pentax Optio RS1500
        Small SensorMicro Four Thirds1/2.3-inch
        Low Resolution Sensor10.0 Megapixel14 Megapixel
        Timelapse Recording
        Few Focus Points39
        No Face Detection
        No Image Stabilization
        Screen TypeFixedFixed
        Low Resolution Screen230k dot230k dot
        Low Max Continuous Shooting3.5 fps0.7 fps
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        Short Battery Life500 shots260 shots

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Olympus E-420 has a 2.7" screen with 230k dot resolution and Pentax Optio RS1500 has a 2.70" screen with 230k dot resolution. Both have Fixed screens.


      Optical (pentamirror) Viewfinder on Olympus E-420

      Olympus E-420 has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder. It has a 95% coverage and 0.92x (0.46x 35mm equivalent) magnification. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Pentax Optio RS1500.

      Sensor

      Olympus E-420 features a 10.0 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor with dimensions of 17.3 x 13 mm and a total area of 224.9 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 1,600. Pentax Optio RS1500 features a 14 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor with dimensions of 6.17 x 4.55 mm and a total area of 20.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 80 - 6,400.

      Photography Features

      Olympus E-420 is equipped with TruePic III processor and can take pictures up to 3648 x 2736 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3200 x 2400, 2560 x 1920, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480 with 4:3 aspect ratios. Pentax Optio RS1500 can take pictures up to 4288 x 3216 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4288 x 3216, 4224 x 2376, 3216 x 3216, 3072 x 2304, 3072 x 1728, 2592 x 1944, 2592 x 1464, 2048 x 1536, 1920 x 1080, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480 with 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      No Image Stabilization

      The cameras do not have image stabilization. On Olympus E-420 it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Pentax Optio RS1500 nothing can be done.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Pentax Optio RS1500 comes with D-LI92 battery pack with battery life of 260 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Olympus E-420 has a single Compact Flash (Type I/II), xD Picture Card card slot. Pentax Optio RS1500 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Olympus E-420, and up to 1/1500 sec on Pentax Optio RS1500. Olympus E-420 can shoot continuously up to 3.5 fps. Pentax Optio RS1500 can shoot continuously up to 0.7 fps.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 12.00 m at ISO 100 on Olympus E-420 and 3.90 m on Pentax Optio RS1500. Olympus E-420 also accepts external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/180 sec on Olympus E-420.

      Physical Parameters

      Olympus E-420 body has dimensions of 130 x 91 x 53 mm (5.12 x 3.58 x 2.09") and Pentax Optio RS1500 body has dimensions of 114 x 58 x 28 mm (4.49 x 2.28 x 1.1"). Olympus E-420 weighs 426 g (0.94 lb / 15.03 oz) and Pentax Optio RS1500 weighs 157 g (0.35 lb / 5.54 oz).

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      130 mm

      91 mm

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      114 mm

      58 mm

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      91 mm

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      58 mm

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      53 mm

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      28 mm

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      Size comparisons of Olympus E-420 and Pentax Optio RS1500

      Olympus E-420 and Pentax Optio RS1500 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      67
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      AVERAGE
      56
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.5 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      POOR
      48
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.7 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 260 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      AVERAGE
      55
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.5 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      61
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.7 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 260 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      GOOD
      70
      •   Small Sensor
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.7"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      POOR
      51
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.70"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      GOOD
      79
      •   Small Sensor
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 426 g (0.94 lb / 15.03 oz)
      GOOD
      83
      •   Small Sensor
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 157 g (0.35 lb / 5.54 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      GOOD
      81
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 426 g (0.94 lb / 15.03 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots
      EXCELLENT
      89
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 157 g (0.35 lb / 5.54 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 260 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Olympus E-420 and Pentax Optio RS1500 and give them scores of 55 and 47 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      OVERALL
      55
      OVERALL
      47

      Sensor

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10.0 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 56
      POOR
      48
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 14 Megapixel
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      AVERAGE
      59
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.5 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      BAD
      27
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/1500 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 0.7 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity

      Video

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization
      BAD
      7
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720

      Focusing

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      GOOD
      78
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      AVERAGE
      61
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.7"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      POOR
      50
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.70"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Viewfinder

      Connectivity

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      POOR
      40
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      AVERAGE
      55
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Olympus E-420

      Pentax Optio RS1500

      POOR
      43
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 426 g (0.94 lb / 15.03 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 157 g (0.35 lb / 5.54 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 260 shots
      •   Internal Storage


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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