Olympus FE-45 vs Panasonic LZ30

In this write-up, we are contrasting the Olympus FE-45 versus Panasonic LZ30, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a big gap between the resolutions of the FE-45 (10MP) and LZ30 (16MP) but they feature the same exact sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The FE-45 was revealed 5 years earlier than the LZ30 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus FE-45 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic LZ30 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go straight into a detailed comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the FE-45 scores versus the LZ30 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus FE-45 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus FE-45 Gallery and Panasonic LZ30 Gallery.

If you're looking to lug around your camera frequently, you have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus FE-45 enjoys exterior dimensions of 94mm x 62mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") along with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Panasonic LZ30 has sizing of 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus FE-45 versus Panasonic LZ30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is the front view sizing comparison of the FE-45 compared to the LZ30.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FE-45 and LZ30 is 95 and 66 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to imagine the difference between sensor measurements just by looking at specs. The graphic here will provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the FE-45 and LZ30.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different MP. You should expect to see the Panasonic LZ30 to resolve more detail because of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics far more aggressively. The older FE-45 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.