Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic FP2

Here is a complete comparison of the Olympus E-520 versus Panasonic FP2, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and FP2 (14MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and FP2 (1/2.3") boast different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-520 was manufactured 16 months earlier than the FP2 which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FP2 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the E-520 matches up versus the FP2 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-520 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP2. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-520 Gallery & Panasonic FP2 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera often, you're going to have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 has outside measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") accompanied by a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) while the Panasonic FP2 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") having a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-520 versus Panasonic FP2 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the E-520 against the FP2.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-520 and FP2 is 68 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to visualize the difference between sensor sizing only by reading through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-520 and FP2.

As you can see, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-520 due to its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic FP2 will resolve more detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The older E-520 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.