Olympus E-500 vs Olympus FE-5020

The following is a extended analysis of the Olympus E-500 vs Olympus FE-5020, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are produced by Olympus. There exists a crucial gap among the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and FE-5020 (12MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and FE-5020 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-500 was launched 4 years earlier than the FE-5020 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus FE-5020 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-500 scores against the FE-5020 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 and Olympus FE-5020. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Olympus FE-5020 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-500 has got outer dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") along with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) while the Olympus FE-5020 has proportions of 93mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") with a weight of 137 grams (0.30 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-500 vs Olympus FE-5020 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have at that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the E-500 against the FE-5020.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and FE-5020 is 70 and 95 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to visualise the difference in sensor dimensions merely by seeing technical specs. The picture below may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-500 and FE-5020.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-500 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus FE-5020 will provide more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos much more aggressively. The more aged E-500 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.