Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FZ47

The following is a comprehensive overview of the Olympus E-1 versus Panasonic FZ47, one is a Pro DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap between the resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and FZ47 (12MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and FZ47 (1/2.3") have different sensor dimensions.

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The E-1 was revealed 8 years before the FZ47 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ47 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-1 scores versus the FZ47 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Panasonic FZ47 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to travel with your camera, you are going to need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-1 offers outside measurements of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") and a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ47 has proportions of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 498 grams (1.10 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-1 versus Panasonic FZ47 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-1 versus the FZ47.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and FZ47 is 59 and 68 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions only by checking specs. The pic below should give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-1 and FZ47.

All in all, both of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-1 with its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FZ47 will give you more detail because of its extra 7 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.