Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic S2

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic S2, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and S2 (14MP) and the E-420 (Four Thirds) and S2 (1/2.3") have different sensor sizes.

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The E-420 was brought out 4 years before the S2 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic S2 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a full comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-420 matches up versus the S2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-420 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-S2. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-420 Gallery and Panasonic S2 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera often, you'll need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-420 offers physical 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 S2 has dimensions of 98mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") having a weight of 112 grams (0.25 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic S2 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the E-420 versus the S2.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-420 and S2 is 77 and 96 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to picture the contrast in sensor measurements just by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph underneath may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-420 and S2.

As you can see, both of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-420 due to its larger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic S2 will provide more detail having its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The older E-420 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.