Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic FZ80

Below, we are looking at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic FZ80, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and FZ80 (18MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and FZ80 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-500 was launched 12 years earlier than the FZ80 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going through a in depth comparison, below is a short view of how the E-500 scores vs the FZ80 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Panasonic FZ80 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry your camera often, you have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-500 features outer measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") accompanied by a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ80 has dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") and a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic FZ80 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-500 vs the FZ80.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and FZ80 is 70 and 63 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to envision the difference between sensor sizing merely by looking at specs. The visual below should give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-500 and FZ80.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-500 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic FZ80 will give you extra detail utilizing its extra 10MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images much more aggressively. The older E-500 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.