Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic XS1

Let's look closer at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic XS1, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference among the image resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and XS1 (16MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and XS1 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-500 was revealed 8 years before the XS1 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic XS1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a in depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-500 scores versus the XS1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-500 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Panasonic XS1 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera regularly, you have to factor its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-500 features exterior measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Panasonic XS1 has proportions of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") and a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic XS1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at that time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the E-500 vs the XS1.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and XS1 is 70 and 97 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements purely by checking out a spec sheet. The visual here will offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-500 and XS1.

As you can see, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-500 having a bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic XS1 will provide more detail because of its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older E-500 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.