Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic FH7

The following is a in-depth analysis of the Olympus E-510 and Panasonic FH7, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and FH7 (16MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and FH7 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-510 was unveiled 4 years prior to the FH7 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FH7 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the E-510 grades vs the FH7 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-510 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-510 Gallery & Panasonic FH7 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera often, you're going to have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-510 enjoys physical measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") having a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) and the Panasonic FH7 has specifications of 95mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-510 and Panasonic FH7 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you use at the time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the E-510 compared to the FH7.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-510 and FH7 is 69 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to see the difference in sensor dimensions purely by researching a spec sheet. The pic below will offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-510 and FH7.

As you can see, each of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-510 with its bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic FH7 will provide you with extra detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs way more aggressively. The more aged E-510 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.