Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FZ100

Here, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FZ100, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference between the resolutions of the E-300 (8MP) and FZ100 (14MP) and the E-300 (Four Thirds) and FZ100 (1/2.3") provide different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-300 was launched 6 years before the FZ100 and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-300 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the E-300 matches up vs the FZ100 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-300 Gallery and Panasonic FZ100 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-300 has outside dimensions of 147mm x 85mm x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") along with a weight of 624 grams (1.38 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ100 has sizing of 124mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.2" x 3.6") along with a weight of 540 grams (1.19 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FZ100 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at that time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-300 compared to the FZ100.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-300 and FZ100 is 67 and 67 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to picture the gap between sensor sizing merely by reviewing specs. The visual below should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-300 and FZ100.

As you can plainly see, both cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-300 because of its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic FZ100 will deliver extra detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The older E-300 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.