Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic L10

The Olympus Evolt E-500 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2005 and August 2007. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 8 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 10 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-500		Panasonic L10
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses		Four Thirds lenses
8 MP – Four Thirds sensor		10 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-400 (100 - 1,600)		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 215k dots		2.5" LCD – 207k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
2.5 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
750 shots per battery charge		450 shots per battery charge
130 x 95 x 66 mm, 479 g		135 x 96 x 78 mm, 556 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Evolt E-500 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10? 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

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-500 and the Panasonic L10 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures 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 Panasonic L10 is somewhat larger (5 percent) than the Olympus E-500. Moreover, the L10 is markedly heavier (16 percent) than the E-500. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-500 nor the L10 are weather-sealed.

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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	EUR 599	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	EUR 599	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	EUR 799	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	EUR 999	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-400	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Sep 2006	EUR 699	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	EUR 699	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-450	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2009	EUR 449	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	EUR 799	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic G1	124 mm	84 mm	45 mm	360 g	410	n	Sep 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	EUR 999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the L10 offers a higher resolution of 10 megapixels, compared with 8 MP of the E-500. This megapixels advantage translates into a 12 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the L10 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.74μm versus 5.30μm for the E-500). However, it should be noted that the L10 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the E-500, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic L10 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the L10 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-500 are 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm for good quality, 13.1 x 9.8 inches or 33.2 x 24.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.9 x 8.2 inches or 27.6 x 20.7 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus Evolt E-500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 400, which can be extended to ISO 100-1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the E-500 is build around a CCD sensor, while the L10 uses a CMOS imager. 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.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
2.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
3.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
4.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
5.		Olympus E-400	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
6.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
7.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
8.		Olympus E-450	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.5	512	56
9.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
10.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
11.		Panasonic G1	Four Thirds	12.0	4000	3000	none	21.1	10.3	463	53
12.		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 variety of features. The E-500 and the L10 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the L10 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-500 (0.46x vs 0.45x), 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-500, the Panasonic L10, and comparable cameras.

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.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
2.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
4.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Olympus E-400	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
8.		Olympus E-450	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
9.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic G1	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		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.

The E-500 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the L10 uses SDHC cards. The E-500 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the L10 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 Olympus Evolt E-500 and Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 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.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-400	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-450	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic G1	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both the E-500 and the L10 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-500 was replaced by the Olympus E-510, while the L10 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-500 and L10 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic L10 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-500 or the Panasonic L10 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus Evolt E-500:

• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 77g or 14 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 450) on a single battery charge.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2005).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (10 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 12%.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.46x vs 0.45x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 11 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the L10 emerges as the winner of the match-up (6 : 4 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 Olympus E-500 and the Panasonic L10 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-500 and the L10 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	EUR 599	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	EUR 599	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	EUR 799	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	EUR 999	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-400	..	85/100	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2006	EUR 699	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	EUR 699	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-450	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Mar 2009	EUR 449	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	EUR 799	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic G1	..	+ +	..	70/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2008	EUR 499	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	EUR 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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