Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FH20

Let's examine more closely at the Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FH20, former is a Pro DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference between the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and FH20 (14MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and FH20 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizes.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The E-1 was unveiled 7 years prior to the FH20 which is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-1 grades versus the FH20 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Panasonic FH20 Gallery.

When you are going to travel with your camera frequently, you will have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-1 offers exterior dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) and the Panasonic FH20 has specifications of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") along with a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FH20 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at the time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the E-1 and the FH20.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-1 and FH20 is 59 and 93 respectively.

Often, its difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by going over specifications. The image here may offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-1 and FH20.

To sum up, the two cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-1 having a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic FH20 will deliver extra detail having an extra 9 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images much more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.