Olympus E-420 vs Olympus SP-800 UZ

The following is a detailed analysis of the Olympus E-420 and Olympus SP-800 UZ, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are manufactured by Olympus. There exists a noticeable gap among the resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and SP-800 UZ (14MP) and the E-420 (Four Thirds) and SP-800 UZ (1/2.3") come with different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-420 was manufactured 19 months prior to the SP-800 UZ which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus SP-800 UZ being a Compact camera.

Before going through a thorough comparison, below is a brief summation of how the E-420 scores versus the SP-800 UZ in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-420 & Olympus SP-800 UZ. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-420 Gallery & Olympus SP-800 UZ Gallery.

If you're intending to travel with your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-420 has got physical measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") accompanied by a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Olympus SP-800 UZ has proportions of 110mm x 90mm x 91mm (4.3" x 3.5" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 455 grams (1.00 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-420 and Olympus SP-800 UZ in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you use during that time. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the E-420 compared to the SP-800 UZ.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-420 and SP-800 UZ is 77 and 69 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to picture the difference in sensor dimensions only by checking out a spec sheet. The image below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-420 and SP-800 UZ.

Clearly, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-420 due to its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Olympus SP-800 UZ will show greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop shots far more aggressively. The more aged E-420 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.