Olympus E-400 vs Panasonic FX78

Let's look more closely at the Olympus E-400 versus Panasonic FX78, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-400 (10MP) and the FX78 (12MP) is very well matched but the E-400 (Four Thirds) and FX78 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-400 was launched 5 years before the FX78 and that is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FX78 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-400 matches up against the FX78 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-400 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-400 Gallery & Panasonic FX78 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera frequently, you have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-400 features exterior dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") and a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs) and the Panasonic FX78 has proportions of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-400 versus Panasonic FX78 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the E-400 compared to the FX78.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-400 and FX78 is 77 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to see the contrast between sensor sizing only by reading through a spec sheet. The photograph below should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-400 and FX78.

Clearly, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-400 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic FX78 will resolve more detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The older E-400 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.