Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic FZ1000

The Olympus E-1 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2003 and June 2014. The E-1 is a DSLR, while the FZ1000 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-1) and an one-inch (FZ1000) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 4.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-1		Panasonic FZ1000
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Four Thirds lenses		25-400mm f/2.8-4.0
4.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		20 MP – 1" sensor
no Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-800 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 125-12,800 (80 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
1.8" LCD – 134k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
750 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
141 x 104 x 81 mm, 738 g		137 x 99 x 131 mm, 831 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-1 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000? 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 Olympus E-1 and the Panasonic FZ1000 is provided 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 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 FZ1000 is notably smaller (8 percent) than the Olympus E-1. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-1 is splash and dust resistant, while the FZ1000 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FZ1000 has a lens built in, whereas the E-1 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the E-1 and their specifications in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-1 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the FZ1000 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-1	141 mm	104 mm	81 mm	738 g	750	Y	Jun 2003	1,699	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
5.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-5	142 mm	117 mm	75 mm	873 g	750	Y	Sep 2010	1,699	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-3	142 mm	116 mm	75 mm	876 g	750	Y	Oct 2007	1,699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	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 FZ1000 was launched at a lower price than the E-1, despite having a lens built in. 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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-1 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Panasonic FZ1000 an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ1000 is 48 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 2.7. The sensor in the E-1 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the FZ1000 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the FZ1000 offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 4.9 MP of the E-1. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 2.41μm versus 6.78μm for the E-1). However, it should be noted that the FZ1000 is much more recent (by 10 years and 11 months) than the E-1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic FZ1000 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the FZ1000 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-1 are 12.8 x 9.6 inches or 32.5 x 24.4 cm for good quality, 10.2 x 7.7 inches or 26 x 19.5 cm for very good quality, and 8.5 x 6.4 inches or 21.7 x 16.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus E-1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 800, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 are ISO 125 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-25600.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-1 is build around a CCD sensor, while the FZ1000 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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-1	Four Thirds	4.9	2560	1920	none	20.0	9.7	-145	44
2.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
4.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
5.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
6.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
7.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
8.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
9.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
10.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
11.		Olympus E-5	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.6	10.5	519	56
12.		Olympus E-3	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.6	10.5	571	56
13.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
14.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
15.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
16.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
17.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67
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 FZ1000 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-1 does not. The highest resolution format that the FZ1000 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the FZ1000 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), while the E-1 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the FZ1000 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-1 (0.70x vs 0.48x), 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-1, the Panasonic FZ1000, 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-1	optical	Y	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
2.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
7.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
9.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Olympus E-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus E-3	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
15.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the E-1, but is missing on the FZ1000 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 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 FZ1000 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 FZ1000 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-1 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the FZ1000 uses SDXC cards. The E-1 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the FZ1000 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 E-1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 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-1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-5	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-3	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the FZ1000 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-1 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-1 (unlike the FZ1000) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the E-1 and the FZ1000 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-1 was replaced by the Olympus E-3, while the FZ1000 was followed by the Panasonic FZ2500. Further information on the features and operation of the E-1 and FZ1000 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-1 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic FZ1000 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus E-1 better than the Panasonic FZ1000 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-1:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 360) on a single battery charge.
• 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.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2003).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 4.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 106%.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p video.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.48x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 134k dots).
• 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 (12 vs 3 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.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the E-1 requires a separate lens.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 10 years and 11 months of technical progress since the E-1 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the FZ1000 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-1 and the Panasonic FZ1000 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-1 and the FZ1000 in practical situations. 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 expert reviews 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-1	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jun 2003	1,699	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
5.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-5	4/5	..	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,699	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-3	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	4/5	Oct 2007	1,699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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 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.

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