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Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic L10

The Olympus E-30 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in November 2008 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 12.2 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-30
versus
Panasonic L10
Olympus E-30   Panasonic L10
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor 10 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video no Video
ISO 100-3,200 ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 230k dots 2.5" LCD – 207k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive) Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
750 shots per battery charge450 shots per battery charge
142 x 108 x 75 mm, 701 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 E-30 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-30 and the Panasonic L10 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.

Size Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic L10
Compare E-30 versus L10 top
Comparison E-30 or L10 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic L10 is notably smaller (15 percent) than the Olympus E-30. Moreover, the L10 is markedly lighter (21 percent) than the E-30. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-30 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 following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.

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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-30 142 mm 108 mm 75 mm 701 g 750 n Nov 2008 US$ 1 299ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic L10 135 mm 96 mm 78 mm 556 g 450 n Aug 2007 US$ 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-3 142 mm 116 mm 75 mm 876 g 750 Y Oct 2007 US$ 1 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 US$ 699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 US$ 499ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-510 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 538 g 750 n Mar 2007 US$ 799ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 US$ 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-600 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 535 g 500 n Aug 2009 US$ 449ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 US$ 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-P1 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Jun 2009 US$ 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-P2 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Nov 2009 US$ 799ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic G10 124 mm 84 mm 74 mm 388 g 380 n Mar 2010 US$ 499ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic L1 146 mm 87 mm 64 mm 606 g 750 n Feb 2006 US$ 999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

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 L10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 54 percent) than the E-30, 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 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. 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 tend to be more expensive and 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.

Olympus E-30 and Panasonic L10 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-30 offers a higher resolution of 12.2 megapixels, compared with 10 MP of the L10. This megapixels advantage translates into a 11 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-30 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.29μm versus 4.74μm for the L10). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-30 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 2 months) than the L10, 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 Olympus E-30 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-30 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 20.2 x 15.1 inches or 51.2 x 38.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 16.1 x 12.1 inches or 41 x 30.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 13.4 x 10.1 inches or 34.1 x 25.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic L10 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.

The Olympus E-30 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

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-30 versus L10 MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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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-30 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.453055
2.
 
Panasonic L10 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.310.842955
3.
 
Olympus E-3 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.610.557156
4.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
5.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
6.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
7.
 
Olympus E-510 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.210.044252
8.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
9.
 
Olympus E-600 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.510.354155
10.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
11.
 
Olympus E-P1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.410.453655
12.
 
Olympus E-P2 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.450556
13.
 
Panasonic G10 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000720/30p21.210.141152
14.
 
Panasonic L1 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none20.810.48052
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
Both the E-30 and the L10 offer Live View, so that they make it possible to use the rear screen for framing. Both cameras are still-image focused and cannot record videos.
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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-30 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 viewfinder in the E-30 offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the L10 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the E-30 has a higher magnification (0.51x vs 0.46x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-30 and Panasonic L10 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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-30optical Y2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Panasonic L10optical n2.5 / 207 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Olympus E-3optical Y2.5 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
6.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
7.
 
Olympus E-510optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-600optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Olympus E-P1none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
12.
 
Olympus E-P2optional n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
13.
 
Panasonic G10202 n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 2.6/s Y n
14.
 
Panasonic L1optical n2.5 / 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 E-30, but is missing on the L10 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 cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

The E-30 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the L10 uses SDHC cards. The E-30 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the L10 only has one slot.

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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-30 and Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 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-30Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Panasonic L10Y- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-3Y- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-600Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-P1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
12.
 
Olympus E-P2Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
13.
 
Panasonic G10Ymono / ---mini2.0---
14.
 
Panasonic L1Y- / ----2.0---

Both the E-30 and the L10 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Olympus and Panasonic. Further information on the features and operation of the E-30 and L10 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-30 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic L10 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-30 and the Panasonic L10? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-30:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (12.2 vs 10MP) with a 11% higher linear resolution.
  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.51x vs 0.46x).
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (230k vs 207k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 450) on a single battery charge.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 2 months after the L10).

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Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10:

  • More compact: Is smaller (135x96mm vs 142x108mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 145g or 21 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (54 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2007).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-30 is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 4 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.

E-30 12:04 L10

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-30 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 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 E-30 or the L10. 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 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-30......71/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2008 US$ 1 299ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic L10..85/100..+3.5/54/5 Aug 2007 US$ 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-3..88/100..+ +o4/5 Oct 2007 US$ 1 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 US$ 699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 US$ 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 US$ 499ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-510..89/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Mar 2007 US$ 799ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 US$ 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-600..........4.5/5 Aug 2009 US$ 449ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 US$ 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-P1..+..66/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2009 US$ 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-P23/5+..69/1004/54.5/5 Nov 2009 US$ 799ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic G103/5....70/1004/54/5 Mar 2010 US$ 499ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic L1..85/100..+..3.5/5 Feb 2006 US$ 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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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    Specifications: Olympus E-30 vs Panasonic L10

    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-30 Panasonic L10
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date November 2008 August 2007
    Launch Price USD 1,299 USD 599
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-30 Panasonic L10
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 12.2 Megapixels 10 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4032 x 3024 pixels 3648 x 2736 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.29 μm 4.74 μm
    Pixel Density 5.42 MP/cm2 4.44 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 3,200 ISO 100 - 1,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic III+ Venus
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 55 55
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.3 21.3
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.4 10.8
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 530 429
    Screen Specs Olympus E-30 Panasonic L10
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 98% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.51x 0.46x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.7inch 2.5inch
    LCD Resolution 230k dots 207k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Swivel screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-30 Panasonic L10
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF or XD cards SDHC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-30 Panasonic L10
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Olympus E-30 Panasonic L10
    Battery Type Olympus BLM-1 Panasonic DMW-BLA13
    Battery Life (CIPA)750 shots per charge450 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 142 x 108 x 75 mm
    (5.6 x 4.3 x 3.0 in)
    135 x 96 x 78 mm
    (5.3 x 3.8 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 701 g (24.7 oz) 556 g (19.6 oz)
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