Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FZ70

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-1 versus Panasonic FZ70, former being a Pro DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a substantial difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and FZ70 (16MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and FZ70 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was revealed 10 years prior to the FZ70 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ70 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going through a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the E-1 matches up against the FZ70 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Panasonic FZ70 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera often, you have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-1 has outside dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") with a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ70 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 118mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 4.6") having a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-1 versus Panasonic FZ70 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the E-1 versus the FZ70.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and FZ70 is 59 and 63 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing just by seeing specs. The photograph underneath might give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-1 and FZ70.

All in all, each of these cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-1 using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic FZ70 will provide greater detail because of its extra 11 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The older E-1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.