Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic GF5

Here, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-510 and Panasonic GF5, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-510 (10MP) and the GF5 (12MP) is pretty close and both cameras boast the identical sensor measurements (Four Thirds).

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The E-510 was announced 5 years before the GF5 and that is a fairly significant 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 GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting right into a thorough comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the E-510 matches up versus the GF5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-510 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-510 Gallery and Panasonic GF5 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-510 features exterior measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GF5 has dimensions of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-510 and Panasonic GF5 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the E-510 versus the GF5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-510 and GF5 is 69 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it is tough to envision the contrast in sensor measurements just by looking through specs. The visual below should give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-510 and GF5.

All in all, both cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Panasonic GF5 to provide you with extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs way more aggressively. The older E-510 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.