Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic SZ7

Following is a detailed review of the Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic SZ7, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap among the resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and SZ7 (14MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and SZ7 (1/2.3") have different sensor dimensions.

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The E-520 was announced 4 years before the SZ7 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic SZ7 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a in depth comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-520 matches up vs the SZ7 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-520 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-520 Gallery & Panasonic SZ7 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 has physical 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 SZ7 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 133 grams (0.29 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic SZ7 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the E-520 vs the SZ7.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-520 and SZ7 is 68 and 95 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to visualize the difference in sensor sizes only by seeing technical specs. The image below may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-520 and SZ7.

As you can tell, both of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-520 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic SZ7 will provide more detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics more aggressively. The more aged E-520 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.