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Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic S5

The Olympus E-420 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in March 2008 and September 2020. The E-420 is a DSLR, while the S5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-420) and a full frame (S5) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-420
versus
Panasonic S5
Olympus E-420   Panasonic S5
Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
Four Thirds lenses Leica L mount lenses
10 MP – Four Thirds sensor 24 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video 4K/60p Video
ISO 100-1,600 ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
2.7" LCD – 215k dots 3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Swivel touchscreen
3.5 shutter flaps per second 7 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
500 shots per battery charge440 shots per battery charge
130 x 91 x 53 mm, 440 g 133 x 98 x 82 mm, 714 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-420 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5? 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.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-420 and the Panasonic S5 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic S5
Compare E-420 versus S5 top
Comparison E-420 or S5 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic S5 is notably larger (10 percent) than the Olympus E-420. Moreover, the S5 is substantially heavier (62 percent) than the E-420. It is noteworthy in this context that the S5 is splash and dust-proof, while the E-420 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the E-420 gets 500 shots out of its Olympus BLS-1 battery, while the S5 can take 440 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack. The power pack in the S5 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 US$ 599ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic S5 133 mm 98 mm 82 mm 714 g 440 Y Sep 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon D40X 124 mm 94 mm 64 mm 522 g 520 n Mar 2007 US$ 729ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D60 126 mm 94 mm 64 mm 522 g 500 n Jan 2008 US$ 629ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D3000 126 mm 97 mm 64 mm 536 g 500 n Jul 2009 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon Z6 II 134 mm 101 mm 70 mm 705 g 410 Y Oct 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
7.
 
Olympus E-400 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Sep 2006 US$ 699ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 US$ 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 US$ 499ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 US$ 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-600 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 535 g 500 n Aug 2009 US$ 449ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 US$ 699ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic GH5 139 mm 98 mm 87 mm 725 g 410 Y Jan 2017 US$ 1 999ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GH5 II 139 mm 98 mm 87 mm 727 g 400 Y May 2021 US$ 1 699 amazon.com
15.
 
Panasonic L10 135 mm 96 mm 78 mm 556 g 450 n Aug 2007 US$ 599ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic S5 II 134 mm 102 mm 90 mm 740 g 370 Y Jan 2023 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 US$ 1 999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-420 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 70 percent) than the S5, 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 Olympus E-420 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Panasonic S5 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the S5 is 276 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the E-420 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the S5 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Olympus E-420 and Panasonic S5 sensor measures

With 24MP, the S5 offers a higher resolution than the E-420 (10MP), but the S5 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 4.74μm for the E-420) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the S5 is a much more recent model (by 12 years and 6 months) than the E-420, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the S5 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic S5 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S5 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-420 are 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm for good quality, 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm for very good quality, and 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the E-420, the S5 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (96MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Olympus E-420 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

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.

E-420 versus S5 MP

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"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the S5 offers substantially better image quality than the E-420 (overall score 38 points higher). The advantage is based on 3.6 bits higher color depth, 4.1 EV in additional dynamic range, and 2.4 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
2.
 
Panasonic S5 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/60p25.114.5269794
3.
 
Nikon D40X APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.411.451663
4.
 
Nikon D60 APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.511.456265
5.
 
Nikon D3000 APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.311.156362
6.
 
Nikon Z6 II Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/60p25.014.4330394
7.
 
Olympus E-400 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.010.612753
8.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
9.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
10.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
11.
 
Olympus E-600 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.510.354155
12.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
13.
 
Panasonic GH5 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.913.080777
14.
 
Panasonic GH5 II Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/60p23.713.1113679
15.
 
Panasonic L10 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.310.842955
16.
 
Panasonic S5 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40006K/30p25.414.6315896
17.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The S5 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-420 does not. The highest resolution format that the S5 can use is 4K/60p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the S5 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the E-420 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the S5 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-420 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the S5 has a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-420, the Panasonic S5, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty 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.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
2.
 
Panasonic S52360 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n Y
3.
 
Nikon D40Xoptical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D60optical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D3000optical n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
6.
 
Nikon Z6 II3690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-400optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
8.
 
Olympus E-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
9.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
10.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
11.
 
Olympus E-600optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Panasonic GH53680 n3.2 / 1620 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
14.
 
Panasonic GH5 II3680 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
15.
 
Panasonic L10optical n2.5 / 207 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
16.
 
Panasonic S5 II3680 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The E-420 has one, while the S5 does not. While the built-in flash of the E-420 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The S5 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the E-420 does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the S5 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Panasonic S5 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The E-420 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the S5 uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

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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 Olympus E-420 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Panasonic S5Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
3.
 
Nikon D40XY- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Nikon D60Y- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Nikon D3000Y- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Nikon Z6 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
7.
 
Olympus E-400Y- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-600Y- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Panasonic GH5Ystereo / monoYYfull3.1Y-Y
14.
 
Panasonic GH5 IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
15.
 
Panasonic L10Y- / ----2.0---
16.
 
Panasonic S5 IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
17.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-

It is notable that the S5 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-420 does not provide wifi capability.

The S5 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the E-420 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the E-420 from Olympus. Further information on the features and operation of the E-420 and S5 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-420 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic S5 Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-420 or the Panasonic S5 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Arguments in favor of the Olympus E-420:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 274g or 38 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 440) on a single battery charge.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (70 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2008).

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Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 58%.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
  • Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (38 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (3.6 bits more color depth).
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (4.1 EV of extra DR).
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (2.4 stops ISO advantage).
  • Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/60p video.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.46x).
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 215k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 3.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • More modern: Reflects 12 years and 6 months of technical progress since the E-420 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the S5 is the clear winner of the contest (28 : 7 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-420 07:28 S5

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-420 and the Panasonic S5 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-420 or the S5 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 US$ 599ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic S54.5/5+ +4.5/588/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon D40X..79/100..+ +4/54/5 Mar 2007 US$ 729ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D60..80/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Jan 2008 US$ 629ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D3000..+..72/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon Z6 II4.5/5..4/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
7.
 
Olympus E-400..85/100....4/54/5 Sep 2006 US$ 699ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 US$ 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 US$ 499ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 US$ 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-600..........4.5/5 Aug 2009 US$ 449ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 US$ 699ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic GH54.5/5+ +..85/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2017 US$ 1 999ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GH5 II4.5/5..4.5/585/1004.5/55/5 May 2021 US$ 1 699 amazon.com
15.
 
Panasonic L10..85/100..+3.5/54/5 Aug 2007 US$ 599ebay.com
16.
 
Panasonic S5 II4.5/5+ +5/590/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2023 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 US$ 1 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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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    Specifications: Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic S5

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-420 Panasonic S5
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Leica L mount lenses
    Launch Date March 2008 September 2020
    Launch Price USD 599 USD 1,999
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-420 Panasonic S5
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 35.6 x 23.8 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 847.28 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 42.8 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 10 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3648 x 2736 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.74 μm 5.94 μm
    Pixel Density 4.44 MP/cm2 2.83 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability no Video 4K/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 1,600 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 50 - 204,800 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic III Venus
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 56 94
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.5 25.1
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.4 14.5
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 527 2697
    Screen Specs Olympus E-420 Panasonic S5
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.46x 0.74x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.7inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 215k dots 1840k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Swivel screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-420 Panasonic S5
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 3.5 shutter flaps/s 7 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/8000s
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium CF or XD cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Dual card slots
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-420 Panasonic S5
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.2
    HDMI Port no HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-420 Panasonic S5
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-1 Panasonic DMW-BLK22
    Battery Life (CIPA)500 shots per charge440 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 130 x 91 x 53 mm
    (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in)
    133 x 98 x 82 mm
    (5.2 x 3.9 x 3.2 in)
    Camera Weight 440 g (15.5 oz) 714 g (25.2 oz)
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