Olympus E-500 vs Samsung NX5

In this article, we are matching up the Olympus E-500 and Samsung NX5, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Samsung. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and NX5 (15MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and NX5 (APS-C) use different sensor measurements.

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The E-500 was brought out 5 years earlier than the NX5 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Samsung NX5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight into a full comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-500 grades versus the NX5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 and Samsung NX5. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Samsung NX5 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-500 offers outside dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") having a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) whilst the Samsung NX5 has sizing of 123mm x 87mm x 40mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 1.6") along with a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-500 and Samsung NX5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the E-500 compared to the NX5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and NX5 is 70 and 80 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to picture the gap in sensor measurements only by going through a spec sheet. The visual below will give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and NX5.

Clearly, each of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-500 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Samsung NX5 will show more detail having its extra 7 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos far more aggressively. The older E-500 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.