Olympus E-500 vs Olympus Tough-3000

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus E-500 and Olympus Tough-3000, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Waterproof and both are sold by Olympus. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and Tough-3000 (12MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and Tough-3000 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was introduced 5 years before the Tough-3000 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-500 scores versus the Tough-3000 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 and Olympus Stylus Tough-3000. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Olympus Tough-3000 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-500 features exterior measurements 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 Tough-3000 has proportions of 96mm x 65mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") and a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-500 and Olympus Tough-3000 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached at that time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the E-500 vs the Tough-3000.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and Tough-3000 is 70 and 94 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizes merely by seeing technical specs. The image underneath will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-500 and Tough-3000.

As you have seen, each of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-500 having a larger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus Tough-3000 will show more detail using its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-500 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.