Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic FZ300

Let's examine more in depth at the Olympus E-520 versus Panasonic FZ300, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-520 (10MP) and the FZ300 (12MP) is very comparable but the E-520 (Four Thirds) and FZ300 (1/2.3") use different sensor size.

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The E-520 was brought out 8 years before the FZ300 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting in to a in depth comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the E-520 grades versus the FZ300 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-520 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Panasonic FZ300 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera often, you have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-520 enjoys outer 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 FZ300 has sizing of 132mm x 92mm x 117mm (5.2" x 3.6" x 4.6") accompanied by a weight of 691 grams (1.52 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-520 versus Panasonic FZ300 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the E-520 and the FZ300.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-520 and FZ300 is 68 and 59 respectively.

Sometimes, its difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizes simply by seeing a spec sheet. The picture here might offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-520 and FZ300.

Clearly, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-520 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FZ300 will provide greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop pics much more aggressively. The more aged E-520 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.