Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FX78

On this page, we are matching up the Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FX78, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the E-300 (8MP) and FX78 (12MP) and the E-300 (Four Thirds) and FX78 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-300 was released 7 years earlier than the FX78 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-300 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FX78 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-300 scores versus the FX78 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-300 Gallery and Panasonic FX78 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera regularly, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-300 offers external dimensions of 147mm x 85mm x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") and a weight of 624 grams (1.38 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FX78 has sizing of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") and a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FX78 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using during that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the E-300 against the FX78.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-300 and FX78 is 67 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to see the contrast between sensor sizing only by going over specs. The photograph below will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-300 and FX78.

All in all, the 2 cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-300 featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic FX78 will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The older E-300 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.