Olympus E-5 vs Olympus E-520

Below, we are evaluating the Olympus E-5 and Olympus E-520, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR and they are both offered by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-5 (12MP) and the E-520 (10MP) is very similar and they feature the exact same sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-5 was announced 2 years after the E-520 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a brief overview of how the E-5 grades versus the E-520 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-5 and Olympus E-520. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-5 Gallery and Olympus E-520 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-5 has got outer dimensions of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") along with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-520 has specifications of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") and a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-5 and Olympus E-520 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-5 versus the E-520.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-5 and E-520 is 58 and 68 respectively.

Usually, it is tough to imagine the gap between sensor dimensions purely by reviewing a spec sheet. The image below should give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-5 and E-520.

As you can see, each of these cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different MP. You should expect to see the Olympus E-5 to offer greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos much more aggressively. The more modern E-5 provides an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.