Olympus E-420 vs Olympus FE-5020

In this article, we are reviewing the Olympus E-420 vs Olympus FE-5020, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are manufactured by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-420 (10MP) and the FE-5020 (12MP) is fairly comparable but the E-420 (Four Thirds) and FE-5020 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizing.

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The E-420 was brought out 13 months prior to the FE-5020 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus FE-5020 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple view of how the E-420 matches up against the FE-5020 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-420 & Olympus FE-5020. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-420 Gallery & Olympus FE-5020 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you will have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-420 offers external measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") with a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) and the Olympus FE-5020 has dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 137 grams (0.30 lbs).

See the Olympus E-420 vs Olympus FE-5020 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that time. Underneath is the front view sizing comparison of the E-420 versus the FE-5020.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-420 and FE-5020 is 77 and 95 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing merely by going through specs. The visual underneath might give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-420 and FE-5020.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-420 because of its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus FE-5020 will produce more detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images far more aggressively. The older E-420 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.