Nikon D800E vs Olympus E-500

Let's take a deeper look at the Nikon D800E versus Olympus E-500, both Advanced DSLR cameras by companies Nikon and Olympus. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the D800E (36MP) and E-500 (8MP) and the D800E (Full frame) and E-500 (Four Thirds) enjoy different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The D800E was unveiled 6 years after the E-500 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with the identical body type (Mid-size SLR).

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the D800E matches up vs the E-500 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon D800E & Olympus E-500. The full galleries are viewable at Nikon D800E Gallery & Olympus E-500 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera, you will need to consider its weight and size. The Nikon D800E offers external measurements of 146mm x 123mm x 82mm (5.7" x 4.8" x 3.2") and a weight of 900 grams (1.98 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-500 has specifications of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs).

Check out the Nikon D800E versus Olympus E-500 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the D800E compared to the E-500.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the D800E and E-500 is 54 and 70 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to picture the gap in sensor dimensions merely by going through a spec sheet. The pic underneath may offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the D800E and E-500.

As you can see, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The D800E having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field easier and the Nikon D800E will produce greater detail having an extra 28MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics much more aggressively. The newer D800E should have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.