Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FZ1000 II

Following is a extended review of the Olympus E-300 and Panasonic FZ1000 II, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-300 (8MP) and FZ1000 II (20MP) and the E-300 (Four Thirds) and FZ1000 II (1") come with totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-300 was unveiled 15 years before the FZ1000 II which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-300 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ1000 II being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick view of how the E-300 grades vs the FZ1000 II in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-300 and Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ1000 II. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-300 Gallery and Panasonic FZ1000 II Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you will have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-300 provides outside measurements of 147mm x 85mm x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 624 grams (1.38 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ1000 II has dimensions of 136mm x 97mm x 132mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 5.2") having a weight of 808 grams (1.78 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-300 and Panasonic FZ1000 II in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-300 vs the FZ1000 II.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-300 and FZ1000 II is 67 and 55 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizes purely by going through technical specs. The picture here should offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-300 and FZ1000 II.

As you can tell, the two cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-300 having a larger sensor will make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic FZ1000 II will show greater detail having an extra 12MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged E-300 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.