Olympus E-5 vs Olympus SZ-11

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-5 vs Olympus SZ-11, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are produced by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-5 (12MP) and the SZ-11 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the E-5 (Four Thirds) and SZ-11 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor dimensions.

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The E-5 was revealed 5 months prior to the SZ-11 so they are of a similar generation. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus SZ-11 being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a in depth comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-5 grades against the SZ-11 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-5 and Olympus SZ-11. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-5 Gallery and Olympus SZ-11 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera often, you will want to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-5 comes with physical measurements of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-11 has sizing of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") and a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-5 vs Olympus SZ-11 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select during that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-5 compared to the SZ-11.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-5 and SZ-11 is 58 and 89 respectively.

Often, it is difficult to picture the difference in sensor dimensions purely by checking out specs. The pic here will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-5 and SZ-11.

All in all, each of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-5 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Olympus SZ-11 will show more detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos much more aggressively.