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Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78

Portability
70
Imaging
42
Features
34
Overall
38
Olympus E-500 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78 front
Portability
95
Imaging
35
Features
31
Overall
33

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 Key Specs

Olympus E-500
(Full Review)
  • 8MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 400 (Raise to 1600)
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 479g - 130 x 95 x 66mm
  • Introduced October 2005
  • Other Name is EVOLT E-500
  • New Model is Olympus E-510
Panasonic FX78
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-120mm (F2.5-5.9) lens
  • 142g - 100 x 55 x 21mm
  • Introduced January 2011
  • Also referred to as Lumix DMC-FX77
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Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 Overview

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic FX78, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a significant difference among the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and FX78 (12MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and FX78 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-500 was announced 6 years prior to the FX78 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FX78 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the E-500 grades vs the FX78 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Olympus E-500 over the Panasonic FX78

 E-500 FX78 
Manually focus Dial accurate focus

Reasons to pick Panasonic FX78 over the Olympus E-500

 FX78 E-500 
IntroducedJanuary 2011October 2005Newer by 64 months
Screen dimensions3.5"2.5"Bigger screen (+1")
Screen resolution230k215kCrisper screen (+15k dot)
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Common features in the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic FX78

 E-500 FX78 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither comes with selfie screen

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is going to travel with your camera, you should think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-500 comes with exterior dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Panasonic FX78 has specifications of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

See the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic FX78 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are employing during that time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the E-500 against the FX78.

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 size comparison

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and FX78 is 70 and 95 respectively.

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 Sensor Comparison

Generally, it can be hard to visualise the difference in sensor dimensions merely by seeing a spec sheet. The pic underneath should offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and FX78.

Clearly, both of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-500 with its bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic FX78 will show more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots more aggressively. The more aged E-500 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-500 as a Portrait photography camera
Panasonic FX78 as a Portrait photography camera
49
you can focus manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
doesn't have liveview
low megapixels (8MP)
21
no manual focus
manual mode not possible
cannot use external flash
MP count low (12MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-500 as a Street photography camera
Panasonic FX78 as a Street photography camera
57
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
lighter than competition in class (479g)
screen does not articulate
does not have image stabilization
max ISO too low (400)
57
has image stabilization (Optical)
screen is fixed
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-500 Sports photography advice
Panasonic FX78 Sports photography advice
37
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
has phase detect autofocus
doesn't have liveview
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames per second)
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (8 megapixels)
28
has image stabilization (Optical)
offers tracking autofocus
maximum shutter speed is a little low (1/1,400s)
very slow continuous shooting (4.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority mode
MP count low (12MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
terrible battery (200 CIPA)
does not have phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-500 Travel photography factors
Panasonic FX78 Travel photography factors
52
lighter than competition in class (479g)
has built in flash
does not have Time Lapse function
low megapixels (8 megapixels)
does not have a selfie friendly screen
56
has built in flash
quite wide (24mm)
lack of Timelapse recording
terrible battery (200 per charge)
MP count low (12MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-500 Landscape photography details
Panasonic FX78 Landscape photography details
43
you can focus manually
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
screen is somewhat small (2.5")
doesn't have liveview
does not have image stabilization
low megapixels (8MP)
max ISO too low (400)
does not have Time Lapse function
36
quite wide (24mm)
lovely big screen (3.5 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.5)
manual mode not possible
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
terrible battery (200 CIPA)
lack of Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-500 as a Vlogging camera
Panasonic FX78 as a Vlogging camera
9
can't record video
33
quite wide (24mm)
built-in touchscreen
has image stabilization (Optical)
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.5)
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of external microphone socket
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Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FX78 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-500 and Panasonic FX78
 Olympus E-500Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78
General Information
Company Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus E-500 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78
Alternate name EVOLT E-500 Lumix DMC-FX77
Class Advanced DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Introduced 2005-10-21 2011-01-25
Physical type Mid-size SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by - Venus Engine FHD
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 8MP 12MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 3264 x 2448 4000 x 3000
Max native ISO 400 6400
Max boosted ISO 1600 -
Minimum native ISO 100 100
RAW files
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points 3 11
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 24-120mm (5.0x)
Max aperture - f/2.5-5.9
Macro focus range - 5cm
Number of lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.9
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 2.5 inch 3.5 inch
Display resolution 215k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display tech - TFT LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) None
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.45x -
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 seconds 60 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/1400 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 3.0 frames per second 4.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Set white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 13.00 m (at ISO 100) 5.60 m
Flash modes Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize 1/180 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Max video resolution None 1920x1080
Video format - MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 479 grams (1.06 pounds) 142 grams (0.31 pounds)
Physical dimensions 130 x 95 x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") 100 x 55 x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8")
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 - 200 photographs
Battery type - Battery Pack
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots One One
Retail pricing $600 $210