Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic SZ5

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus E-520 and Panasonic SZ5, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and SZ5 (14MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and SZ5 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-520 was unveiled 4 years before the SZ5 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic SZ5 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-520 grades against the SZ5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-520 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Panasonic SZ5 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera often, you should think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 has external dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) while the Panasonic SZ5 has specifications of 104mm x 58mm x 21mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") having a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-520 and Panasonic SZ5 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have at that time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the E-520 versus the SZ5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-520 and SZ5 is 68 and 95 respectively.

Normally, its hard to envision the contrast in sensor dimensions only by going through specs. The picture underneath should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-520 and SZ5.

All in all, the 2 cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-520 with its larger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic SZ5 will provide extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The more aged E-520 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.