Nikon D5100 vs Olympus E-420

Here, we will be reviewing the Nikon D5100 and Olympus E-420, both Entry-Level DSLR cameras by manufacturers Nikon and Olympus. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the D5100 (16MP) and E-420 (10MP) and the D5100 (APS-C) and E-420 (Four Thirds) have different sensor dimensions.

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The D5100 was revealed 2 years later than the E-420 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature the same body design (Compact SLR).

Before delving right into a full comparison, here is a concise overview of how the D5100 scores vs the E-420 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon D5100 and Olympus E-420. The full galleries are viewable at Nikon D5100 Gallery and Olympus E-420 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Nikon D5100 enjoys external measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 79mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.1") accompanied by a weight of 560 grams (1.23 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-420 has proportions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") accompanied by a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs).

Check the Nikon D5100 and Olympus E-420 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. Following is a front view scale comparison of the D5100 vs the E-420.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the D5100 and E-420 is 66 and 77 respectively.

In many cases, its difficult to imagine the gap in sensor measurements simply by seeing technical specs. The graphic underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the D5100 and E-420.

As you can tell, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The D5100 with its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Nikon D5100 will show extra detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The fresher D5100 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.