Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZS50

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZS50, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-520 (10MP) and the ZS50 (12MP) is relatively similar but the E-520 (Four Thirds) and ZS50 (1/2.3") use different sensor measurements.

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The E-520 was introduced 7 years prior to the ZS50 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS50 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the E-520 scores against the ZS50 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-520 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-520 Gallery & Panasonic ZS50 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-520 provides outside measurements of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS50 has proportions of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZS50 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have chosen during that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-520 against the ZS50.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-520 and ZS50 is 68 and 90 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to imagine the gap between sensor measurements simply by reviewing specifications. The visual below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-520 and ZS50.

Plainly, each of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-520 using its bigger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh simpler and the Panasonic ZS50 will offer you extra detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older E-520 is going to be behind in sensor tech.