Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FZ1000

In this write-up, we are looking at the Olympus E-1 versus Panasonic FZ1000, one being a Pro DSLR and the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and FZ1000 (20MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and FZ1000 (1") enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-1 was manufactured 11 years prior to the FZ1000 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ1000 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving through a more detailed comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-1 scores versus the FZ1000 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Panasonic FZ1000 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera, you will have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-1 comes with external 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) and the Panasonic FZ1000 has dimensions of 137mm x 99mm x 131mm (5.4" x 3.9" x 5.2") accompanied by a weight of 831 grams (1.83 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-1 versus Panasonic FZ1000 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are working with during that time. The following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-1 and the FZ1000.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-1 and FZ1000 is 59 and 55 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to envision the difference between sensor measurements only by going over a spec sheet. The photograph below will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-1 and FZ1000.

As you can see, the two cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-1 because of its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic FZ1000 will deliver extra detail due to its extra 15 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images a little more aggressively. The older E-1 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.