Olympus E-400 vs Olympus SP-100

Below is a in-depth overview of the Olympus E-400 versus Olympus SP-100, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are designed by Olympus. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the E-400 (10MP) and SP-100 (16MP) and the E-400 (Four Thirds) and SP-100 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-400 was manufactured 8 years earlier than the SP-100 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus SP-100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving into a full comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the E-400 matches up versus the SP-100 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-400 and Olympus Stylus SP-100. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-400 Gallery and Olympus SP-100 Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-400 offers outer 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-100 has measurements of 122mm x 91mm x 133mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 5.2") and a weight of 594 grams (1.31 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-400 versus Olympus SP-100 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at that time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the E-400 versus the SP-100.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-400 and SP-100 is 77 and 63 respectively.

Normally, its hard to envision the gap in sensor measurements simply by looking through a spec sheet. The photograph below may give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-400 and SP-100.

Clearly, both of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-400 featuring a bigger sensor will make achieving bokeh easier and the Olympus SP-100 will render extra detail due to its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The older E-400 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.