Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic FZ47

Here is a comprehensive analysis of the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic FZ47, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-510 (10MP) and the FZ47 (12MP) is pretty close but the E-510 (Four Thirds) and FZ47 (1/2.3") offer different sensor sizing.

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The E-510 was manufactured 4 years earlier than the FZ47 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ47 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a short highlight of how the E-510 matches up against the FZ47 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-510 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-510 Gallery & Panasonic FZ47 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera, you will want to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-510 comes with outer dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ47 has specifications of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") with a weight of 498 grams (1.10 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic FZ47 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is a front view scale comparison of the E-510 against the FZ47.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-510 and FZ47 is 69 and 68 respectively.

More often than not, it is very hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing merely by researching specifications. The visual below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-510 and FZ47.

Plainly, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-510 due to its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic FZ47 will result in more detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older E-510 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.