Olympus E-600 vs Panasonic FH2

Following is a extended assessment of the Olympus E-600 versus Panasonic FH2, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-600 (12MP) and the FH2 (14MP) is pretty close but the E-600 (Four Thirds) and FH2 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-600 was revealed 16 months prior to the FH2 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-600 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FH2 being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-600 scores against the FH2 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-600 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH2. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-600 Gallery and Panasonic FH2 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-600 provides physical measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 60mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.4") with a weight of 515 grams (1.14 lbs) while the Panasonic FH2 has specifications of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

See the Olympus E-600 versus Panasonic FH2 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-600 versus the FH2.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-600 and FH2 is 71 and 96 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to see the difference in sensor sizes purely by looking through specifications. The pic below will provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-600 and FH2.

Plainly, both cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-600 with its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic FH2 will render more detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop pictures far more aggressively. The more aged E-600 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.