Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic S2

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic S2, one being a Pro DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap among the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and S2 (14MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and S2 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was brought out 9 years earlier than the S2 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic S2 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a brief summation of how the E-1 grades against the S2 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-S2. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Panasonic S2 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-1 comes with 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) and the Panasonic S2 has specifications of 98mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") and a weight of 112 grams (0.25 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic S2 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you select at that moment. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the E-1 vs the S2.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-1 and S2 is 59 and 96 respectively.

Normally, it can be difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing only by checking out specifications. The graphic here should provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-1 and S2.

To sum up, both cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-1 featuring a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic S2 will provide more detail having its extra 9MP. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures much more aggressively. The older E-1 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.