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Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9

Portability
70
Imaging
41
Features
34
Overall
38
Olympus E-500 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 front
Portability
82
Imaging
60
Features
80
Overall
68

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 Key Specs

Olympus E-500
(Full Review)
  • 8MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 400 (Push to 1600)
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 479g - 130 x 95 x 66mm
  • Released October 2005
  • Additionally referred to as EVOLT E-500
  • Successor is Olympus E-510
Panasonic GX9
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based 5-axis Image Stabilization
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 407g - 124 x 72 x 47mm
  • Introduced February 2018
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Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 Overview

Here, we are contrasting the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic GX9, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference between the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and GX9 (20MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-500 was released 13 years prior to the GX9 and that is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic GX9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the E-500 matches up vs the GX9 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-500 over the Panasonic GX9

 E-500 GX9 

Reasons to pick Panasonic GX9 over the Olympus E-500

 GX9 E-500 
IntroducedFebruary 2018October 2005More recent by 149 months
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display size3"2.5"Larger display (+0.5")
Display resolution1240k215kSharper display (+1025k dot)
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic GX9

 E-500 GX9 
Focus manually Very exact focusing
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-500 features external measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GX9 has proportions of 124mm x 72mm x 47mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 407 grams (0.90 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic GX9 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the E-500 and the GX9.

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 size comparison

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and GX9 is 70 and 82 respectively.

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 Sensor Comparison

Generally, it's hard to visualize the difference between sensor measurements purely by looking at specs. The graphic here will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-500 and GX9.

All in all, both cameras come with the identical sensor size but different resolution. You can expect to see the Panasonic GX9 to give you greater detail as a result of its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older E-500 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-500 Portrait photography information
Panasonic GX9 Portrait photography information
48
manual focus
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
no liveview feature
low megapixels (8MP)
76
focusing manually
good megapixels (20MP)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
has face detect focus
saves RAW files
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-500
Street photography with Panasonic GX9
56
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
lighter than competitors in class (479g)
screen does not articulate
does not have image stabilization
max ISO too low (400)
84
has a tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
has touch focus
great high ISO (25,600)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-500 Sports photography advice
Panasonic GX9 Sports photography advice
37
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
comes with phase detect AF
no liveview feature
slow fps (3.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (8MP)
72
quiet shutter (1/16,000 seconds)
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good megapixels (20 megapixels)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
has tracking focus
has phase detect auto focus
terrible battery (260 shots)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-500 Travel photography advice
Panasonic GX9 Travel photography advice
52
lighter than competitors in class (479 grams)
has built in flash
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
low megapixels (8MP)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
71
connects via bluetooth
has touch focus
good megapixels (20MP)
has built in flash
terrible battery (260 shots)
display isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-500 Landscape photography info
Panasonic GX9 Landscape photography info
43
manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
screen is somewhat small (2.5")
no liveview feature
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (8MP)
max ISO too low (400)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
77
focusing manually
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3")
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
good megapixels (20 megapixels)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
does not have anti aliasing filter
great high ISO (25,600)
saves RAW files
terrible battery (260 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-500 as a Vlogging camera
Panasonic GX9 as a Vlogging camera
9
can't shoot video
35
screen is touchscreen
image stabilization (Sensor based 5-axis)
has face detect focus
great video quality (3840 x 2160 resolution)
display isn't selfie friendly
doesn't have microphone support
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Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GX9 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-500 and Panasonic GX9
 Olympus E-500Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus E-500 Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9
Also called as EVOLT E-500 -
Category Advanced DSLR Advanced Mirrorless
Released 2005-10-21 2018-02-13
Physical type Mid-size SLR Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Processor - Venus Engine
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds Four Thirds
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 17.3 x 13mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 224.9mm²
Sensor resolution 8 megapixel 20 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 3264 x 2448 5184 x 3888
Maximum native ISO 400 25600
Maximum boosted ISO 1600 -
Lowest native ISO 100 200
RAW images
Lowest boosted ISO - 100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points 3 49
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds
Available lenses 45 107
Crop factor 2.1 2.1
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Tilting
Display sizing 2.5 inch 3 inch
Resolution of display 215k dots 1,240k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentaprism) Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 2,760k dots
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification 0.45x 0.7x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 secs 60 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/4000 secs
Maximum quiet shutter speed - 1/16000 secs
Continuous shooting rate 3.0 frames/s 9.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 13.00 m (at ISO 100) 6.00 m (at ISO 200)
Flash options Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, auto w/redeye reduction, forced on, forced on w/redeye reduction, slow sync, slow sync w/redeye reduction, forced off
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/180 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Maximum video resolution None 3840x2160
Video format - MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Yes
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 479 gr (1.06 lb) 407 gr (0.90 lb)
Physical dimensions 130 x 95 x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") 124 x 72 x 47mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.9")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 260 photographs
Battery style - Battery Pack
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 secs, 3 photos over 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Storage type Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I supported)
Card slots Single Single
Cost at launch $600 $1,000