Olympus E-520 vs Olympus FE-4000

Below is a in depth comparison of the Olympus E-520 versus Olympus FE-4000, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are designed by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-520 (10MP) and the FE-4000 (12MP) is relatively close but the E-520 (Four Thirds) and FE-4000 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-520 was released 11 months before the FE-4000 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus FE-4000 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a thorough comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-520 grades vs the FE-4000 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-520 and Olympus FE-4000. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Olympus FE-4000 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 features physical measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") having a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Olympus FE-4000 has specifications of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-520 versus Olympus FE-4000 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-520 versus the FE-4000.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-520 and FE-4000 is 68 and 95 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to visualise the gap in sensor measurements merely by viewing specifications. The graphic here may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-520 and FE-4000.

To sum up, the 2 cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-520 because of its bigger sensor will make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Olympus FE-4000 will render more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots much more aggressively. The older E-520 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.