Olympus E-400 vs Panasonic FS12

Lets take a deeper look at the Olympus E-400 versus Panasonic FS12, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-400 (10MP) and the FS12 (12MP) is relatively well matched but the E-400 (Four Thirds) and FS12 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-400 was revealed 3 years before the FS12 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FS12 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the E-400 matches up vs the FS12 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-400 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-400 Gallery and Panasonic FS12 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-400 provides exterior dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") with a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs) and the Panasonic FS12 has sizing of 97mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 129 grams (0.28 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-400 versus Panasonic FS12 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the E-400 against the FS12.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-400 and FS12 is 77 and 95 respectively.

Normally, its hard to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements just by looking at specifications. The photograph below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-400 and FS12.

To sum up, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-400 using its bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic FS12 will give greater detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older E-400 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.