Olympus FE-45 vs Panasonic FZ300

In this article, we are evaluating the Olympus FE-45 and Panasonic FZ300, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the FE-45 (10MP) and the FZ300 (12MP) is fairly comparable and they come with the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The FE-45 was announced 7 years earlier than the FZ300 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus FE-45 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going through a more detailed comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the FE-45 grades versus the FZ300 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus FE-45 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300. The whole galleries are available at Olympus FE-45 Gallery and Panasonic FZ300 Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera often, you'll need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus FE-45 comes with outside dimensions of 94mm x 62mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ300 has specifications of 132mm x 92mm x 117mm (5.2" x 3.6" x 4.6") along with a weight of 691 grams (1.52 lbs).

Look at the Olympus FE-45 and Panasonic FZ300 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the FE-45 against the FZ300.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the FE-45 and FZ300 is 95 and 59 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to envision the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by going through specifications. The image underneath will give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the FE-45 and FZ300.

Plainly, both of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You should anticipate the Panasonic FZ300 to provide extra detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The more aged FE-45 will be behind in sensor tech.