Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic S1

Following is a in depth overview of the Olympus E-510 and Panasonic S1, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and S1 (24MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and S1 (Full frame) possess totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-510 was announced 12 years before the S1 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-510 grades versus the S1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-510 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-510 Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-510 comes with physical measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") accompanied by a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) while the Panasonic S1 has measurements of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") accompanied by a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-510 and Panasonic S1 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have during that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the E-510 vs the S1.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-510 and S1 is 69 and 54 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes just by looking at technical specs. The image here might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-510 and S1.

As you can tell, each of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-510 using its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic S1 will give you extra detail with its extra 14MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-510 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.