Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZS100

Below is a in depth analysis of the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZS100, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and ZS100 (20MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and ZS100 (1") offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-510 was manufactured 9 years earlier than the ZS100 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting into a detailed comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-510 grades vs the ZS100 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-510 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-510 Gallery and Panasonic ZS100 Gallery.

When you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-510 has got 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) while the Panasonic ZS100 has specifications of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-510 vs Panasonic ZS100 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the E-510 against the ZS100.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-510 and ZS100 is 69 and 87 respectively.

More often than not, it's hard to see the contrast between sensor measurements just by reviewing technical specs. The graphic underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-510 and ZS100.

As you have seen, both the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-510 due to its larger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic ZS100 will offer you greater detail due to its extra 10MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images more aggressively. The older E-510 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.