Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic FX78

The following is a thorough overview of the Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic FX78, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-520 (10MP) and the FX78 (12MP) is pretty close but the E-520 (Four Thirds) and FX78 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-520 was launched 3 years earlier than the FX78 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FX78 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief view of how the E-520 scores vs the FX78 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-520 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Panasonic FX78 Gallery.

For those who are intending to travel with your camera often, you should take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-520 provides outside 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 Panasonic FX78 has dimensions of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") having a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic FX78 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the E-520 compared to the FX78.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-520 and FX78 is 68 and 95 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to see the difference in sensor dimensions simply by viewing specs. The picture below will give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-520 and FX78.

As you can plainly see, both cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-520 because of its bigger sensor will make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic FX78 will provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-520 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.