Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FS42

Below, we will be comparing the Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FS42, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-300 (8MP) and the FS42 (10MP) is pretty comparable but the E-300 (Four Thirds) and FS42 (1/2.5") come with different sensor sizing.

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The E-300 was unveiled 5 years earlier than the FS42 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-300 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving in to a in-depth comparison, below is a concise view of how the E-300 grades versus the FS42 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-300 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-300 Gallery & Panasonic FS42 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera, you should think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-300 has outer dimensions of 147mm x 85mm x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") having a weight of 624 grams (1.38 lbs) while the Panasonic FS42 has specifications of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FS42 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using during that time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the E-300 vs the FS42.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-300 and FS42 is 67 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to imagine the difference in sensor dimensions simply by going through a spec sheet. The image here might provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-300 and FS42.

As you can see, both of those cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-300 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic FS42 will produce greater detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures much more aggressively. The more aged E-300 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.