Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic SZ10

Below, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic SZ10, one being a Pro DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference between the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and SZ10 (16MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and SZ10 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-1 was introduced 12 years before the SZ10 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic SZ10 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a complete comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the E-1 matches up vs the SZ10 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ10. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery and Panasonic SZ10 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-1 offers external dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") along with a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) whilst the Panasonic SZ10 has proportions of 99mm x 60mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.2") along with a weight of 177 grams (0.39 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic SZ10 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the E-1 compared to the SZ10.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-1 and SZ10 is 59 and 93 respectively.

Often, its hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizing just by checking specs. The photograph underneath will give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-1 and SZ10.

All in all, both of these cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-1 having a bigger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic SZ10 will resolve extra detail using its extra 11 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs much more aggressively. The older E-1 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.