Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic L1

Lets look a bit more closely at the Olympus E-300 and Panasonic L1, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-300 (8MP) and the L1 (7MP) is pretty well matched and both cameras provide the same sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

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The E-300 was revealed 3 years earlier than the L1 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief view of how the E-300 matches up versus the L1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-300 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-300 Gallery & Panasonic L1 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera often, you have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-300 features physical 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) and the Panasonic L1 has dimensions of 146mm x 87mm x 77mm (5.7" x 3.4" x 3.0") with a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs).

See the Olympus E-300 and Panasonic L1 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have attached at the time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the E-300 vs the L1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-300 and L1 is 67 and 65 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to envision the gap between sensor measurements only by checking a spec sheet. The visual below will give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-300 and L1.

Clearly, both of these cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You can expect the Olympus E-300 to give you extra detail because of its extra 1 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older E-300 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.