Olympus E-520 vs Olympus Tough-3000

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus E-520 vs Olympus Tough-3000, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Waterproof and both are offered by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-520 (10MP) and the Tough-3000 (12MP) is fairly well matched but the E-520 (Four Thirds) and Tough-3000 (1/2.3") posses different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-520 was unveiled 16 months before the Tough-3000 making them a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a in depth comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-520 grades vs the Tough-3000 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-520 and Olympus Stylus Tough-3000. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Olympus Tough-3000 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to travel with your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-520 offers external dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Olympus Tough-3000 has sizing of 96mm x 65mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") along with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

See the Olympus E-520 vs Olympus Tough-3000 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at that moment. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the E-520 vs the Tough-3000.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-520 and Tough-3000 is 68 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to imagine the gap between sensor dimensions just by looking at a spec sheet. The image underneath may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-520 and Tough-3000.

Clearly, each of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-520 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Olympus Tough-3000 will give extra detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-520 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.