Canon 5D vs Olympus E-330

The Canon EOS 5D and the Olympus Evolt E-330 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2005 and January 2006. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (5D) and a Four Thirds (E-330) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 12.7 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 7.4 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 5D		Olympus E-330
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Four Thirds lenses
12.7 MP – Full Frame sensor		7.4 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1,600 (50 - 3,200)		ISO 100-400 (100 - 1,600)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 230k dots		2.5" LCD – 215k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
3 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
400 shots per battery charge		750 shots per battery charge
152 x 113 x 75 mm, 895 g		140 x 87 x 72 mm, 637 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 5D and the Olympus Evolt E-330? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 5D and the Olympus E-330 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-330 is notably smaller (29 percent) than the Canon 5D. Moreover, the E-330 is markedly lighter (29 percent) than the 5D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 5D is splash and dust resistant, while the E-330 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (5D) and the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-330).

Concerning battery life, the 5D gets 400 shots out of its Canon BP-511A battery, while the E-330 can take 750 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLM-1 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 5D	152 mm	113 mm	75 mm	895 g	400	Y	Aug 2005	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1565 g	1200	Y	Aug 2005	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1Ds	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1265 g	600	Y	Sep 2002	US$ 8 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1215 g	1200	Y	Sep 2004	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
10.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
11.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
13.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D700	147 mm	123 mm	77 mm	1074 g	1000	Y	Jul 2008	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	US$ 799	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-330 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 70 percent) than the 5D, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 5D features a full frame sensor and the Olympus E-330 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-330 is 74 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 2.0. The sensor in the 5D has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-330 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 12.7MP, the 5D offers a higher resolution than the E-330 (7.4MP), but the 5D nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 8.25μm versus 5.51μm for the E-330) due to its larger sensor. However, the E-330 is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 months) than the 5D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 5D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 5D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 21.8 x 14.6 inches or 55.5 x 37 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 17.5 x 11.6 inches or 44.4 x 29.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 14.6 x 9.7 inches or 37 x 24.7 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-330 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 5D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 50-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus Evolt E-330 are ISO 100 to ISO 400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-1600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 5D	Full Frame	12.7	4368	2912	none	22.9	11.1	1368	71
2.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.2	975	66
4.		Canon 1Ds	Full Frame	11.0	4064	2704	none	21.8	11.0	954	63
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Full Frame	16.6	4992	3328	none	23.3	11.3	1480	74
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
8.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
9.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
10.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
11.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
12.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
13.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
14.		Nikon D700	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2303	80
15.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
16.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
17.		Panasonic L1	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	80	52
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 5D and the E-330 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the 5D offers a wider field of view (96%) than the one in the E-330 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 5D has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.47x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 5D and Olympus E-330 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 5D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
2.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1Ds	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
10.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
11.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
12.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D700	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
15.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
16.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic L1	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 5D, but is missing on the E-330 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The 5D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the E-330 uses Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. The E-330 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 5D only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 5D and Olympus Evolt E-330 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 5D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1Ds	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D700	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D (unlike the E-330) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 5D and the E-330 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 5D was replaced by the Canon 5D Mark II, while the E-330 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the 5D and E-330 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 5D Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-330 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 5D better than the Olympus E-330 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 5D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (12.7 vs 7.4MP) with a 34% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (96% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.47x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2005).

Advantages of the Olympus Evolt E-330:

• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More compact: Is smaller (140x87mm vs 152x113mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 258g or 29 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (750 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (70 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (5 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 5D is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 8 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 5D and the Olympus E-330 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 5D or the E-330. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 5D	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	..	Aug 2005	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2005	US$ 3 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1Ds	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2002	US$ 8 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
10.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
11.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
12.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
13.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D700	..	89/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2008	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	US$ 799	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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