Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZS8

In this article, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-520 versus Panasonic ZS8, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap among the image resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and ZS8 (14MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and ZS8 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-520 was released 3 years prior to the ZS8 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief view of how the E-520 grades vs the ZS8 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-520 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-520 Gallery & Panasonic ZS8 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-520 features 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) and the Panasonic ZS8 has sizing of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") with a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-520 versus Panasonic ZS8 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have attached at the time. The following is the front view size comparison of the E-520 against the ZS8.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-520 and ZS8 is 68 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to picture the difference in sensor sizes just by researching specs. The image below will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-520 and ZS8.

All in all, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-520 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic ZS8 will render extra detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The more aged E-520 will be behind in sensor technology.