Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic ZS20

The following is a extended overview of the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic ZS20, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and ZS20 (14MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and ZS20 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

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The E-500 was revealed 7 years before the ZS20 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a concise summary of how the E-500 grades against the ZS20 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-500 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera, you need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-500 features 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) while the Panasonic ZS20 has specifications of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic ZS20 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the E-500 compared to the ZS20.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and ZS20 is 70 and 92 respectively.

Often, it is hard to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by going through technical specs. The picture underneath might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-500 and ZS20.

As you have seen, the two cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-500 using its bigger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic ZS20 will provide more detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-500 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.