Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FS42

Below, we are matching up the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic FS42, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-500 (8MP) and the FS42 (10MP) is very similar but the E-500 (Four Thirds) and FS42 (1/2.5") enjoy different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was manufactured 4 years before the FS42 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before we go in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-500 scores vs the FS42 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Panasonic FS42 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-500 enjoys outside dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Panasonic FS42 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic FS42 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilising during that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-500 vs the FS42.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and FS42 is 70 and 95 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to visualize the difference between sensor sizing merely by going over specs. The graphic here may give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and FS42.

As you can plainly see, both cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-500 because of its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FS42 will offer greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics much more aggressively. The older E-500 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.