Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic TS20

In this write-up, we are contrasting the Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic TS20, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Waterproof by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference between the image resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and TS20 (16MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and TS20 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was released 7 years prior to the TS20 which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic TS20 being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a thorough comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-500 scores versus the TS20 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS20. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Panasonic TS20 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera frequently, you should think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-500 provides outer measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) while the Panasonic TS20 has measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 19mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") along with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic TS20 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the E-500 compared to the TS20.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and TS20 is 70 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to envision the gap between sensor sizes merely by looking at specs. The pic here should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-500 and TS20.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-500 featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic TS20 will give more detail as a result of its extra 8MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged E-500 is going to be behind in sensor technology.