Olympus FE-4030 vs Panasonic FZ70

Here is a extended review of the Olympus FE-4030 and Panasonic FZ70, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the FE-4030 (14MP) and the FZ70 (16MP) is fairly comparable and both cameras offer the same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The FE-4030 was released 4 years before the FZ70 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-4030 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ70 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise overview of how the FE-4030 grades versus the FZ70 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus FE-4030 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus FE-4030 Gallery and Panasonic FZ70 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus FE-4030 provides external measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ70 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 118mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 4.6") with a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs).

Check out the Olympus FE-4030 and Panasonic FZ70 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached during that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the FE-4030 compared to the FZ70.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FE-4030 and FZ70 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Quite often, it can be hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizing only by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic here should give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-4030 and FZ70.

Clearly, the two cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but not the same MP. You should anticipate the Panasonic FZ70 to show more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos more aggressively. The older FE-4030 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.