Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic LZ30

Here is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic LZ30, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and LZ30 (16MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and LZ30 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizes.

Body cameras now worn by bakery staff to deter stealing

The E-510 was revealed 6 years earlier than the LZ30 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic LZ30 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-510 grades vs the LZ30 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-510 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-510 Gallery & Panasonic LZ30 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry your camera often, you need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-510 features outer measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") accompanied by a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LZ30 has specifications of 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6") and a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic LZ30 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have at that moment. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the E-510 and the LZ30.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-510 and LZ30 is 69 and 66 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to visualize the difference in sensor sizing merely by researching a spec sheet. The visual underneath might offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-510 and LZ30.

Clearly, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-510 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic LZ30 will result in greater detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The older E-510 will be behind in sensor innovation.