Olympus E-400 vs Olympus SP-820UZ

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus E-400 and Olympus SP-820UZ, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both manufactured by Olympus. There exists a big gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-400 (10MP) and SP-820UZ (14MP) and the E-400 (Four Thirds) and SP-820UZ (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-400 was revealed 7 years prior to the SP-820UZ which is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a full comparison, below is a short view of how the E-400 matches up versus the SP-820UZ with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-400 and Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-400 Gallery and Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry around your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-400 provides physical dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") and a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs) while the Olympus SP-820UZ has proportions of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") having a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-400 and Olympus SP-820UZ in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the E-400 vs the SP-820UZ.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-400 and SP-820UZ is 77 and 69 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to envision the difference between sensor sizes simply by going over a spec sheet. The image below will offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-400 and SP-820UZ.

Clearly, the two cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-400 using its larger sensor will make achieving bokeh easier and the Olympus SP-820UZ will deliver greater detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos much more aggressively. The more aged E-400 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.