Olympus E-5 vs Panasonic SZ1

Below is a thorough overview of the Olympus E-5 and Panasonic SZ1, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-5 (12MP) and SZ1 (16MP) and the E-5 (Four Thirds) and SZ1 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-5 was manufactured 11 months before the SZ1 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic SZ1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a short view of how the E-5 grades vs the SZ1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-5 Gallery and Panasonic SZ1 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera, you will want to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-5 has got exterior measurements of 143mm x 117mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") and a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) while the Panasonic SZ1 has dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 131 grams (0.29 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-5 and Panasonic SZ1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are working with during that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the E-5 against the SZ1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-5 and SZ1 is 58 and 95 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to envision the difference between sensor measurements simply by reading a spec sheet. The visual below will offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-5 and SZ1.

As you can see, the two cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-5 due to its larger sensor will make getting bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic SZ1 will offer greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older E-5 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.