Olympus E-1 vs Olympus SP-100

On this page, we will be looking at the Olympus E-1 versus Olympus SP-100, one is a Pro DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are created by Olympus. There is a sizeable difference between the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and SP-100 (16MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and SP-100 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-1 was manufactured 11 years before the SP-100 which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a in depth comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the E-1 grades against the SP-100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-1 and Olympus Stylus SP-100. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Olympus SP-100 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-1 offers exterior measurements of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) while the Olympus SP-100 has proportions of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") having a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs).

See the Olympus E-1 versus Olympus SP-100 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Below is a front view scale comparison of the E-1 compared to the SP-100.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-1 and SP-100 is 59 and 63 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions merely by going over technical specs. The picture here will provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-1 and SP-100.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-1 due to its bigger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus SP-100 will offer you extra detail due to its extra 11MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.