Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic FZ80

Here, we will be matching up the Olympus E-510 and Panasonic FZ80, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and FZ80 (18MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and FZ80 (1/2.3") offer different sensor measurements.

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The E-510 was announced 10 years earlier than the FZ80 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a short view of how the E-510 grades vs the FZ80 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-510 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-510 Gallery and Panasonic FZ80 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-510 has got physical dimensions 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 FZ80 has measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") along with a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-510 and Panasonic FZ80 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using during that time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the E-510 against the FZ80.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-510 and FZ80 is 69 and 63 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to picture the difference in sensor sizing just by looking through technical specs. The visual here will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-510 and FZ80.

As you have seen, both of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-510 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FZ80 will result in more detail with its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The older E-510 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.