Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic G85

The following is a detailed analysis of the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic G85, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a large difference among the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and G85 (16MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

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The E-500 was brought out 12 years before the G85 which is a fairly serious difference 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 G85 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-500 scores against the G85 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-500 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Panasonic G85 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-500 features outside dimensions 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 G85 has proportions of 128mm x 89mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 2.9") along with a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic G85 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the E-500 against the G85.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and G85 is 70 and 69 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by seeing technical specs. The image here will give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-500 and G85.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit different resolution. You can count on the Panasonic G85 to provide greater detail having its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-500 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.