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Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1

Portability
69
Imaging
44
Features
42
Overall
43
Olympus E-510 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 front
Portability
94
Imaging
35
Features
17
Overall
27

Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 Key Specs

Olympus E-510
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 490g - 136 x 92 x 68mm
  • Released November 2007
  • Alternative Name is EVOLT E-510
  • Superseded the Olympus E-500
  • Renewed by Olympus E-520
Panasonic ZR1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-200mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 158g - 98 x 55 x 26mm
  • Introduced July 2009
  • Alternative Name is Lumix DMC-ZX1
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Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 Overview

Let's look more closely at the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-510 (10MP) and the ZR1 (12MP) is relatively well matched but the E-510 (Four Thirds) and ZR1 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-510 was released 20 months prior to the ZR1 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a detailed comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-510 grades against the ZR1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-510 over the Panasonic ZR1

 E-510 ZR1 
Focus manually Dial precise focusing

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZR1 over the Olympus E-510

 ZR1 E-510 
IntroducedJuly 2009November 2007More modern by 20 months
Screen dimension2.7"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.2")

Common features in the Olympus E-510 and Panasonic ZR1

 E-510 ZR1 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen resolution230k230kSame screen resolution
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Lack of Touch friendly screen

Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 Physical Comparison

When you are looking to carry around your camera often, you should think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-510 provides external measurements 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 ZR1 has specifications of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-510 against the ZR1.

Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 size comparison

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-510 and ZR1 is 69 and 94 respectively.

Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 Sensor Comparison

Often, its hard to envision the gap between sensor sizes just by reading through specs. The pic below should give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-510 and ZR1.

All in all, the 2 cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-510 featuring a bigger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic ZR1 will give you extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop photographs much more aggressively. The more aged E-510 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-510 Portrait photography info
Panasonic ZR1 Portrait photography info
56
you can focus manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
low megapixels (10MP)
21
manual focus not available
no manual mode
cannot use external flash
MP count low (12MP)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-510 Street photography info
Panasonic ZR1 Street photography info
68
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
lighter than average in class (490g)
screen does not articulate
56
has image stabilization (Optical)
no articulating screen
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-510 as a Sports photography camera
Panasonic ZR1 as a Sports photography camera
52
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
sensor has phase detect AF
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
low megapixels (10MP)
25
has image stabilization (Optical)
max fps very slow (2.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect AF
Photography Glossary

Travel Comparison

Olympus E-510 Travel photography details
Panasonic ZR1 Travel photography details
52
lighter than average in class (490 grams)
built-in flash
no Time Lapse recording
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
57
built-in flash
rather wide (25mm)
no Timelapse function
MP count low (12MP)
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Olympus E-510
Landscape photography with Panasonic ZR1
55
you can focus manually
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW formats
small screen (2.5 inch)
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
no Time Lapse recording
32
rather wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
manual focus not available
can't switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.3)
tiny screen (2.7 inches)
no manual mode
MP count low (12MP)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lack of RAW format
no Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Olympus E-510
Vlogging with Panasonic ZR1
9
no video shooting
28
rather wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.3)
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
low video resolution (1280 x 720 pxls)
no external microphone support
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Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZR1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-510 and Panasonic ZR1
 Olympus E-510Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1
General Information
Company Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus E-510 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1
Other name EVOLT E-510 Lumix DMC-ZX1
Category Advanced DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Released 2007-11-23 2009-07-27
Physical type Mid-size SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by - Venus Engine V
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 10MP 12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 3648 x 2736 4000 x 3000
Maximum native ISO 1600 6400
Minimum native ISO 100 80
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Total focus points 3 11
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 25-200mm (8.0x)
Highest aperture - f/3.3-5.9
Macro focusing range - 3cm
Number of lenses 45 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 5.9
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen sizing 2.5 inch 2.7 inch
Screen resolution 230 thousand dots 230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95% -
Viewfinder magnification 0.46x -
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60s 60s
Highest shutter speed 1/4000s 1/2000s
Continuous shooting rate 3.0 frames per second 2.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes -
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 12.00 m (at ISO 100) 5.10 m
Flash settings Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize 1/180s -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution None 1280x720
Video data format - Motion JPEG
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 490g (1.08 pounds) 158g (0.35 pounds)
Dimensions 136 x 92 x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") 98 x 55 x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 52 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 21.2 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.0 not tested
DXO Low light rating 442 not tested
Other
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC card, Internal
Card slots One One
Launch pricing $550 $280