Olympus E-5 vs Olympus SZ-31MR iHS

On this page, we are contrasting the Olympus E-5 versus Olympus SZ-31MR iHS, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both built by Olympus. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the E-5 (12MP) and SZ-31MR iHS (16MP) and the E-5 (Four Thirds) and SZ-31MR iHS (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-5 was announced 12 months prior to the SZ-31MR iHS which means that they are of a similar generation. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a short overview of how the E-5 scores vs the SZ-31MR iHS with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-5 and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-5 Gallery and Olympus SZ-31MR iHS Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera regularly, you should factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-5 features physical measurements of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) and the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS has proportions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-5 versus Olympus SZ-31MR iHS in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. Here is a front view size comparison of the E-5 against the SZ-31MR iHS.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-5 and SZ-31MR iHS is 58 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it can be difficult to envision the gap in sensor dimensions simply by researching a spec sheet. The pic here might provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-5 and SZ-31MR iHS.

As you can see, each of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-5 using its larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus SZ-31MR iHS will render extra detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics more aggressively. The more aged E-5 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.