Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic G100

Let's look closer at the Olympus E-500 versus Panasonic G100, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a big difference between the image resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and G100 (20MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was released 15 years earlier than the G100 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic G100 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-500 matches up vs the G100 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-500 and Panasonic Lumix DC-G100. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Panasonic G100 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-500 provides external dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) while the Panasonic G100 has specifications of 116mm x 83mm x 54mm (4.6" x 3.3" x 2.1") and a weight of 352 grams (0.78 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-500 versus Panasonic G100 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using during that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the E-500 against the G100.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and G100 is 70 and 81 respectively.

Often, its difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing merely by going over a spec sheet. The photograph here may give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and G100.

Clearly, the two cameras feature the identical sensor size but different resolution. You should anticipate the Panasonic G100 to deliver greater detail as a result of its extra 12MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images way more aggressively. The older E-500 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.