Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic ZS35

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus E-30 versus Panasonic ZS35, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-30 (12MP) and ZS35 (16MP) and the E-30 (Four Thirds) and ZS35 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-30 was launched 5 years before the ZS35 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS35 being a Compact camera.

Before we go right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise summation of how the E-30 grades vs the ZS35 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-30 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-30 Gallery & Panasonic ZS35 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-30 has got outside measurements of 142mm x 108mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 695 grams (1.53 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS35 has sizing of 107mm x 62mm x 32mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 305 grams (0.67 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-30 versus Panasonic ZS35 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the E-30 compared to the ZS35.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-30 and ZS35 is 60 and 89 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements merely by going through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-30 and ZS35.

As you can see, the two cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-30 due to its larger sensor will make getting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic ZS35 will show greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images way more aggressively. The older E-30 will be behind in sensor tech.