Olympus E-1 versus Olympus E-620

The Olympus E-1 and the Olympus E-620 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in June 2003 and February 2009. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-1 has a resolution of 4.9 megapixel, whereas the E-620 provides 12.2 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Olympus E-1 vs Olympus E-620

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-1 and the Olympus E-620. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the E-1 – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-620 is notably smaller (17 percent) than the Olympus E-1. Moreover, the E-620 is markedly lighter (29 percent) than the E-1. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-1 is splash and dust resistant, while the E-620 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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can find an overview of suitable optics in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-1 gets 750 shots out of its BLM-1 battery, while the E-620 can take 500 images on a single charge of its BLS-1 power pack.

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, just click on the right or left arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Olympus E-1»	5.6 in	4.1 in	3.2 in	26.0 oz	750	Y	Jun 2003	1,699	-		Olympus E-1
	Olympus E-620«	5.1 in	3.7 in	2.4 in	18.4 oz	500	n	Feb 2009	699	-		Olympus E-620
	Canon 6D Mark II« »	5.7 in	4.4 in	3.0 in	27.0 oz	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999			Canon 6D Mark II
	Canon 7D« »	5.8 in	4.4 in	2.9 in	30.3 oz	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	Leica Digilux 3« »	5.7 in	3.4 in	3.0 in	21.4 oz	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	-		Leica Digilux 3
	Nikon D500« »	5.8 in	4.5 in	3.2 in	30.3 oz	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999			Nikon D500
	Nikon D610« »	5.6 in	4.4 in	3.2 in	30.0 oz	900	Y	Oct 2013	1,999			Nikon D610
	Nikon D7000« »	5.2 in	4.1 in	3.0 in	27.5 oz	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	-		Nikon D7000
	Olympus E-5« »	5.6 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	30.8 oz	750	Y	Sep 2010	1,699	-		Olympus E-5
	Olympus E-600« »	5.1 in	3.7 in	2.4 in	18.9 oz	500	n	Aug 2009	449	-		Olympus E-600
	Olympus E-420« »	5.1 in	3.6 in	2.1 in	15.5 oz	500	n	Mar 2008	599	-		Olympus E-420
	Olympus E-520« »	5.4 in	3.6 in	2.7 in	18.9 oz	750	n	May 2008	699	-		Olympus E-520
	Olympus E-3« »	5.6 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	30.9 oz	750	Y	Oct 2007	1,699	-		Olympus E-3
	Olympus E-410« »	5.1 in	3.6 in	2.1 in	15.3 oz	500	n	Mar 2007	699	-		Olympus E-410
	Olympus E-510« »	5.4 in	3.6 in	2.7 in	19.0 oz	750	n	Mar 2007	799	-		Olympus E-510
	Olympus E-330« »	5.5 in	3.4 in	2.8 in	22.5 oz	750	n	Jan 2006	999	-		Olympus E-330
	Olympus E-300« »	5.8 in	3.3 in	2.5 in	22.0 oz	750	n	Sep 2004	799	-		Olympus E-300
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-620 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 59 percent) than the E-1, 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: Olympus E-1 vs Olympus E-620

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras 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.

Technology-wise, the E-620 uses a more advanced image processing engine (TruePic III+) than the E-1 (TruePic), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-620 offers a higher resolution of 12.2 megapixel, compared with 4.9 MP of the E-1. This megapixel advantage translates into a 58 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-620 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.29μm versus 6.78μm for the E-1). However, it should be noted that the E-620 is much more recent (by 5 years and 8 months) than the E-1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Feature comparison: Olympus E-1 vs Olympus E-620

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-1 and the E-620 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-1, the Olympus E-620, and comparable cameras. The full specs-sheets can be found in the camera manual or in the dpreview camera hub.

One feature that is present on the E-1, but is missing on the E-620 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.

Both the E-1 and the E-620 write their imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

Both the E-1 and the E-620 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The E-1 was replaced by the Olympus E-3, while the E-620 was followed by the Olympus E-600.

Review summary: Olympus E-1 vs Olympus E-620

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-1 or the Olympus E-620 – has the upper hand? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus E-1:

• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2003).

Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-620:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (12.2 vs 4.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 58%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (TruePic III+ vs TruePic).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (230k vs 134k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (130x94mm vs 141x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 217g or 29 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology build-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (59 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 8 months of technical progress since the E-1 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-620 is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 4 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.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-1 or the E-620 handle or perform in practice. 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. This is why expert reviews are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The detailed reviews can be accessed by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Olympus E-1»	-	Rec	rev	rev	-	Jun 2003	1,699	-		Olympus E-1
	Olympus E-620«	88/100	72/100	4.5/5	rev	5/5	Feb 2009	699	-		Olympus E-620
	Canon 6D Mark II« »	Rec	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999			Canon 6D Mark II
	Canon 7D« »	HiRec	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	Leica Digilux 3« »	-	-	-	-	-	Sep 2006	1,499	-		Leica Digilux 3
	Nikon D500« »	HiRec	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999			Nikon D500
	Nikon D610« »	HiRec	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,999			Nikon D610
	Nikon D7000« »	-	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	-		Nikon D7000
	Olympus E-5« »	-	75/100	4/5	-	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,699	-		Olympus E-5
	Olympus E-600« »	-	-	-	-	4.5/5	Aug 2009	449	-		Olympus E-600
	Olympus E-420« »	85/100	HiRec	4/5	rev	4.5/5	Mar 2008	599	-		Olympus E-420
	Olympus E-520« »	87/100	HiRec	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	May 2008	699	-		Olympus E-520
	Olympus E-3« »	88/100	HiRec	rev	rev	4/5	Oct 2007	1,699	-		Olympus E-3
	Olympus E-410« »	86/100	HiRec	4/5	rev	4.5/5	Mar 2007	699	-		Olympus E-410
	Olympus E-510« »	89/100	HiRec	3.5/5	rev	4.5/5	Mar 2007	799	-		Olympus E-510
	Olympus E-330« »	-	Rec	rev	3.5/5	-	Jan 2006	999	-		Olympus E-330
	Olympus E-300« »	-	Rec	rev	rev	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	-		Olympus E-300

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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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 use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If the camera you are interested in is not available, please send me an email, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.

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