Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic FX75

Following is a in-depth review of the Olympus E-420 and Panasonic FX75, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and FX75 (14MP) and the E-420 (Four Thirds) and FX75 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-420 was brought out 23 months earlier than the FX75 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FX75 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a detailed comparison, here is a concise summary of how the E-420 grades against the FX75 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-420 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX75. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-420 Gallery and Panasonic FX75 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera often, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-420 offers outer 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 FX75 has specifications of 103mm x 55mm x 23mm (4.1" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-420 and Panasonic FX75 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at that time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the E-420 and the FX75.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-420 and FX75 is 77 and 94 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes simply by checking out a spec sheet. The image here will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-420 and FX75.

Clearly, both cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-420 featuring a bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic FX75 will provide extra detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-420 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.