Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic ZS40

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus E-420 and Panasonic ZS40, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and ZS40 (18MP) and the E-420 (Four Thirds) and ZS40 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-420 was manufactured 6 years prior to the ZS40 which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS40 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-420 grades against the ZS40 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-420 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-420 Gallery & Panasonic ZS40 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-420 has got outer dimensions 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 Panasonic ZS40 has dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-420 and Panasonic ZS40 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the E-420 versus the ZS40.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-420 and ZS40 is 77 and 90 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to envision the gap between sensor sizes merely by looking at technical specs. The image below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-420 and ZS40.

As you have seen, both of the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-420 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic ZS40 will give you more detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images way more aggressively. The more aged E-420 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.