Olympus E-520 vs Olympus SZ-10

On this page, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-520 versus Olympus SZ-10, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are produced by Olympus. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and SZ-10 (14MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and SZ-10 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-520 was brought out 3 years earlier than the SZ-10 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus SZ-10 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a short highlight of how the E-520 matches up against the SZ-10 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-520 and Olympus SZ-10. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Olympus SZ-10 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 features physical dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") accompanied by a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Olympus SZ-10 has specifications of 106mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.5") having a weight of 215 grams (0.47 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-520 versus Olympus SZ-10 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. The following is a front view size comparison of the E-520 against the SZ-10.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-520 and SZ-10 is 68 and 90 respectively.

Usually, it's difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizing simply by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic below should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-520 and SZ-10.

As you can see, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-520 because of its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF easier and the Olympus SZ-10 will provide extra detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The older E-520 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.