Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic FZ40

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus E-30 versus Panasonic FZ40, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-30 (12MP) and the FZ40 (14MP) is relatively close but the E-30 (Four Thirds) and FZ40 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-30 was launched 16 months earlier than the FZ40 which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a short summary of how the E-30 matches up against the FZ40 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-30 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-30 Gallery & Panasonic FZ40 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera, you have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-30 enjoys outer measurements of 142mm x 108mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") with a weight of 695 grams (1.53 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ40 has sizing of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") along with a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-30 versus Panasonic FZ40 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using during that time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the E-30 and the FZ40.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-30 and FZ40 is 60 and 68 respectively.

Typically, it can be tough to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions simply by looking through a spec sheet. The picture below will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-30 and FZ40.

As you can see, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-30 due to its bigger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FZ40 will render extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The more aged E-30 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.