Olympus FE-45 vs Panasonic ZS40

On this page, we will be contrasting the Olympus FE-45 and Panasonic ZS40, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference among the resolutions of the FE-45 (10MP) and ZS40 (18MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FE-45 was revealed 6 years prior to the ZS40 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before going right into a in depth comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the FE-45 scores versus the ZS40 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus FE-45 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40. The full galleries are provided at Olympus FE-45 Gallery & Panasonic ZS40 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera often, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus FE-45 has outer measurements 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 ZS40 has sizing of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus FE-45 and Panasonic ZS40 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the FE-45 vs the ZS40.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the FE-45 and ZS40 is 95 and 90 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizing only by viewing specs. The photograph below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the FE-45 and ZS40.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different MP. You can expect the Panasonic ZS40 to result in extra detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures more aggressively. The older FE-45 will be behind in sensor tech.