Pentax K20D vs Olympus E-520

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Pentax K20D vs Olympus E-520

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APS-C 368.2mm²
14.6 megapixels
ISO 100 - 3200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K20D Review.
See real-world photos taken with the K20D.

4/3 224.9mm²
10.0 megapixels
ISO 100 - 1600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-520 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the E-520.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-7
Compare K20D vs K-7
Compare Pentax K-7 vs Olympus E-520

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Differences

Pentax K20D advantages over Olympus E-520

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 1.4 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
K20D test data on DxO Mark E-520 test data on DxO Mark

639 vs 548 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
More cross-type AF points
9 vs 1
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Pentaprism viewfinder
Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
More viewfinder magnification
0.63x vs 0.46x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
14.6 vs 10.0 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
More AF points
11 vs 3
More AF points improve autofocus
Bigger JPEG buffer
38 vs 12 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
6400 vs 1600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Olympus E-520 advantages over Pentax K20D

Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

650 vs 530 shots
Capture more photos
Lighter weight
550g vs 802g
Lighter weight
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
3.5 fps vs 2.8 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Focus peaking
Neither provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Neither provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
External Mic Jack
Neither provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Neither provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

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Review Excerpt

Read our Pentax K20D Full Review

Read our Olympus E-520 Full Review

The Competition

Compared to Samsung GX-20

Pentax K20D

Samsung GX-20

$800
APS-C

Less expensive

$1400
APS-C

Higher effective ISO

Compare Pentax K20D vs Samsung GX-20

Olympus E-520

Samsung GX-20

$700
4/3

Less expensive
Longer exposure

$1400
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-520 vs Samsung GX-20

Compared to Olympus E-620

Pentax K20D

Olympus E-620

$800
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

$800
4/3

Tiltable Screen
Lighter weight

Compare Pentax K20D vs Olympus E-620

Olympus E-520

Olympus E-620

$700
4/3

Longer stills battery life
Less shutter lag

$800
4/3

Tiltable Screen
More cross-type AF points

Compare Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-620

Compared to Sony DSLR-A380

Pentax K20D

Sony DSLR-A380

$800
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$849
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
HDMI out

Compare Pentax K20D vs Sony DSLR-A380

Olympus E-520

Sony DSLR-A380

$700
4/3

Less expensive
Longer stills battery life

$849
APS-C

Larger sensor
Tiltable Screen

Compare Olympus E-520 vs Sony DSLR-A380

Compared to Pentax K-7

Pentax K20D

Pentax K-7

$800
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$1300
APS-C

Longer stills battery life
HDMI out

Compare Pentax K20D vs Pentax K-7

Olympus E-520

Pentax K-7

$700
4/3

Less expensive
Lighter weight

$1300
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-520 vs Pentax K-7

Compared to Olympus E-600

Pentax K20D

Olympus E-600

$800
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

$600
4/3

Less expensive
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K20D vs Olympus E-600

Olympus E-520

Olympus E-600

$700
4/3

Longer stills battery life

$600
4/3

Less expensive
Tiltable Screen

Compare Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-600

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