Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic GM5

Below, we are analyzing the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic GM5, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference between the image resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and GM5 (16MP) but they enjoy the exact same sensor size (Four Thirds).

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The E-510 was released 7 years earlier than the GM5 and that is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic GM5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving through a full comparison, below is a quick summary of how the E-510 grades against the GM5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-510 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-510 Gallery & Panasonic GM5 Gallery.

If you're going to carry your camera frequently, you have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-510 offers outside measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") having a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) while the Panasonic GM5 has specifications of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") and a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic GM5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the E-510 against the GM5.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-510 and GM5 is 69 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it is hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizing only by going over specifications. The graphic below will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-510 and GM5.

Plainly, each of the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same MP. You can anticipate the Panasonic GM5 to offer more detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The older E-510 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.