Both Pentax K-500 and Pentax K-5 II have APS-C sized 16.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.
Below you can see the K-500 and K-5 II sensor size comparison.
Pentax K-500 and Pentax K-5 II have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.
DxOMark Sensor Scores
DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Pentax K-500 and Pentax K-5 II sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that K-5 II has a better overall score of 82, 3 points higher compared to K-500's score of 79.
Model |
Overall |
Color Depth |
Dynamic Range |
Low-light ISO |
Pentax K-500 |
79 |
23.7 bits |
13.1 Evs |
1087 ISO |
Pentax K-5 II |
82 |
23.8 bits |
14.1 Evs |
1235 ISO |