Nikon D40 vs Olympus E-520

Lets take a closer look at the Nikon D40 vs Olympus E-520, both Entry-Level DSLR digital cameras by manufacturers Nikon and Olympus. There is a substantial difference between the image resolutions of the D40 (6MP) and E-520 (10MP) and the D40 (APS-C) and E-520 (Four Thirds) provide totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The D40 was unveiled 20 months prior to the E-520 making them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras feature the same body design (Compact SLR).

Before diving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the D40 scores against the E-520 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon D40 & Olympus E-520. The full galleries are available at Nikon D40 Gallery & Olympus E-520 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera regularly, you will want to take into account its weight and size. The Nikon D40 has exterior dimensions of 124mm x 94mm x 64mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.5") and a weight of 522 grams (1.15 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-520 has specifications of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

Examine the Nikon D40 vs Olympus E-520 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the D40 versus the E-520.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the D40 and E-520 is 71 and 68 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to envision the gap between sensor sizing purely by reviewing specifications. The visual below will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the D40 and E-520.

To sum up, the 2 cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The D40 with its larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-520 will deliver greater detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older D40 is going to be behind in sensor tech.