Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic FP8

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic FP8, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-420 (10MP) and the FP8 (12MP) is very well matched but the E-420 (Four Thirds) and FP8 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor measurements.

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The E-420 was introduced 13 months prior to the FP8 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FP8 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-420 matches up against the FP8 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-420 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-420 Gallery and Panasonic FP8 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-420 comes with exterior dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") having a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FP8 has proportions of 96mm x 60mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 0.8") and a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic FP8 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the E-420 and the FP8.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-420 and FP8 is 77 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to visualize the gap between sensor measurements just by looking at specs. The photograph underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-420 and FP8.

All in all, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-420 having a larger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh simpler and the Panasonic FP8 will resolve greater detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop pics much more aggressively. The older E-420 is going to be behind in sensor tech.