Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic LZ40

On this page, we are contrasting the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic LZ40, former is a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a large gap among the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and LZ40 (20MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and LZ40 (1/2.3") offer different sensor sizes.

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The E-500 was introduced 9 years before the LZ40 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic LZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go into a thorough comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-500 grades vs the LZ40 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Panasonic LZ40 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry around your camera, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-500 has physical measurements 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 LZ40 has sizing of 126mm x 87mm x 94mm (5.0" x 3.4" x 3.7") accompanied by a weight of 524 grams (1.16 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic LZ40 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the E-500 against the LZ40.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and LZ40 is 70 and 67 respectively.

More often than not, it is very hard to picture the gap in sensor sizes just by going through specifications. The picture underneath may give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-500 and LZ40.

Plainly, each of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-500 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh simpler and the Panasonic LZ40 will produce greater detail using its extra 12MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-500 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.