Olympus FE-4030 vs Panasonic ZS50

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus FE-4030 versus Panasonic ZS50, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the FE-4030 (14MP) and the ZS50 (12MP) is very well matched and they feature the same exact sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The FE-4030 was revealed 6 years prior to the ZS50 which is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a short view of how the FE-4030 matches up vs the ZS50 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus FE-4030 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-4030 Gallery & Panasonic ZS50 Gallery.

When you are intending to carry around your camera, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus FE-4030 has external measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS50 has measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus FE-4030 versus Panasonic ZS50 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the FE-4030 versus the ZS50.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FE-4030 and ZS50 is 95 and 90 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to visualize the difference between sensor sizes purely by reading through technical specs. The pic here should give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the FE-4030 and ZS50.

As you have seen, both of the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different megapixels. You can expect to see the Olympus FE-4030 to resolve more detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images far more aggressively. The more aged FE-4030 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.