Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FZ80

The following is a comprehensive assessment of the Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FZ80, former is a Pro DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap between the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and FZ80 (18MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and FZ80 (1/2.3") offer different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was launched 14 years before the FZ80 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief overview of how the E-1 matches up against the FZ80 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Panasonic FZ80 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-1 has got external 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 FZ80 has specifications of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") and a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FZ80 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are utilising during that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the E-1 compared to the FZ80.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and FZ80 is 59 and 63 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to picture the gap between sensor dimensions merely by reading through a spec sheet. The image here will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-1 and FZ80.

Clearly, each of these cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-1 because of its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FZ80 will resolve extra detail utilizing its extra 13 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.