Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic SZ10

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-520 and Panasonic SZ10, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and SZ10 (16MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and SZ10 (1/2.3") have different sensor sizes.

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The E-520 was released 7 years prior to the SZ10 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic SZ10 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a quick summation of how the E-520 grades against the SZ10 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-520 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ10. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-520 Gallery & Panasonic SZ10 Gallery.

If you're going to travel with your camera, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 has got external 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 SZ10 has specifications of 99mm x 60mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 177 grams (0.39 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-520 and Panasonic SZ10 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the E-520 versus the SZ10.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-520 and SZ10 is 68 and 93 respectively.

Typically, it is very difficult to visualize the difference between sensor dimensions merely by reviewing specs. The pic below might give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-520 and SZ10.

All in all, the two cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-520 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic SZ10 will deliver greater detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The more aged E-520 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.