Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic FP2

Here, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic FP2, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a noticeable gap among the image resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and FP2 (14MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and FP2 (1/2.3") posses different sensor sizing.

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The E-510 was unveiled 3 years before the FP2 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FP2 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the E-510 matches up vs the FP2 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-510 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP2. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-510 Gallery & Panasonic FP2 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry around your camera often, you have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-510 has outer measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) while the Panasonic FP2 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs).

See the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic FP2 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-510 against the FP2.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-510 and FP2 is 69 and 95 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to imagine the difference in sensor sizes just by looking through specifications. The picture underneath will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-510 and FP2.

To sum up, the two cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-510 using its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic FP2 will provide you with more detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-510 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.