Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS200

Lets examine more in depth at the Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS200, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Large Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and ZS200 (20MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and ZS200 (1") use totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was introduced 13 years before the ZS200 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick view of how the E-500 scores vs the ZS200 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-500 & Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Panasonic ZS200 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera often, you should factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-500 enjoys outer measurements 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 ZS200 has specifications of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") and a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS200 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you select at the time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-500 against the ZS200.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and ZS200 is 70 and 86 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizing simply by seeing technical specs. The visual underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-500 and ZS200.

As you have seen, the two cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-500 with its larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic ZS200 will provide greater detail using its extra 12MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images far more aggressively. The older E-500 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.