Reasons to choose E-1
Released in 2003, E-1 has about 225 mm² of sensor area, 4.9 MP effective resolution, and a 660 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Olympus E-1
vs Pentax *ist DS2
VS
Sensor area
225 mm²
E-1369 mm²
*ist DS2- Area ratio
- 1.64:1
- Absolute difference
- 144 mm²
- Relative difference
- 64.1%
The *ist DS2 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
E-1Metric*ist DS2
4.9 MPEffective pixels6.1 MP
17.3 × 13Sensor23.5 × 15.7
6.77 µmPixel pitch7.78 µm
45.9 µm²Pixel area60.48 µm²
2.18 MP/cm²Pixel density1.65 MP/cm²
2Crop factor1.53
—Maximum video—
660 gWeight470 g
CompactFlash type I, CompactFlash type II, MicrodriveStorageMultiMedia, Secure Digital
Lithium-Ion rechargeable Li-ion batteryBatteryAA (4) batteries (NiMH recommended)
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The *ist DS2 has the larger sensor area. The *ist DS2 has the lighter body. The *ist DS2 has the higher effective resolution. The *ist DS2 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose *ist DS2
Released in 2005, *ist DS2 has about 369 mm² of sensor area, 6.1 MP effective resolution, and a 470 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.