Olympus E-400 vs Olympus SP-590 UZ

Here is a in-depth comparison of the Olympus E-400 and Olympus SP-590 UZ, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are offered by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-400 (10MP) and the SP-590 UZ (12MP) is relatively close but the E-400 (Four Thirds) and SP-590 UZ (1/2.3") use totally different sensor size.

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The E-400 was unveiled 3 years prior to the SP-590 UZ and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus SP-590 UZ being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-400 matches up versus the SP-590 UZ for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-400 & Olympus SP-590 UZ. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-400 Gallery & Olympus SP-590 UZ Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry your camera often, you have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-400 provides outside dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") having a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs) while the Olympus SP-590 UZ has proportions of 116mm x 84mm x 81mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 3.2") having a weight of 413 grams (0.91 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-400 and Olympus SP-590 UZ in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that moment. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-400 compared to the SP-590 UZ.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-400 and SP-590 UZ is 77 and 72 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing only by viewing technical specs. The photograph here might give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-400 and SP-590 UZ.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-400 having a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus SP-590 UZ will render greater detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The older E-400 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.