Canon 30D vs Olympus E-5

Following is a in-depth assessment of the Canon 30D and Olympus E-5, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras by manufacturers Canon and Olympus. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the 30D (8MP) and E-5 (12MP) and the 30D (APS-C) and E-5 (Four Thirds) come with totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The 30D was announced 5 years prior to the E-5 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer the identical body type (Mid-size SLR).

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a brief summation of how the 30D grades vs the E-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Canon EOS 30D and Olympus E-5. The whole galleries are available at Canon 30D Gallery and Olympus E-5 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Canon 30D has got external measurements of 144mm x 106mm x 74mm (5.7" x 4.2" x 2.9") having a weight of 784 grams (1.73 lbs) while the Olympus E-5 has dimensions of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") having a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon 30D and Olympus E-5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the 30D compared to the E-5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the 30D and E-5 is 58 and 58 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes merely by checking a spec sheet. The pic here will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the 30D and E-5.

Clearly, both cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The 30D having a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-5 will give greater detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The more aged 30D is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.