Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic ZS30

Let's look more closely at the Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic ZS30, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a significant difference between the sensor resolutions of the FE-5020 (12MP) and ZS30 (18MP) but they possess the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The FE-5020 was revealed 4 years before the ZS30 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick view of how the FE-5020 matches up vs the ZS30 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus FE-5020 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The full galleries are provided at Olympus FE-5020 Gallery and Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry around your camera regularly, you should consider its weight and volume. The Olympus FE-5020 has got external measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 137 grams (0.30 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS30 has sizing of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Check the Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic ZS30 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the FE-5020 versus the ZS30.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the FE-5020 and ZS30 is 95 and 92 respectively.

Generally, it's hard to see the difference between sensor sizes only by checking specs. The picture below will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-5020 and ZS30.

All in all, the two cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same MP. You should expect to see the Panasonic ZS30 to give extra detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged FE-5020 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.