Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FZ82

The Olympus Evolt E-300 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 (labelled Panasonic FZ80 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2004 and January 2017. The E-300 is a DSLR, while the FZ82 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-300) and a 1/2.3-inch (FZ82) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 8 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 18 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-300		Panasonic FZ82
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Four Thirds lenses		20-1200mm f/2.8-5.9
8 MP – Four Thirds sensor		18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
no Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-400 (100 - 1,600)		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (1166k dots)
1.8" LCD – 134k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
2.5 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
750 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
147 x 85 x 64 mm, 624 g		130 x 94 x 119 mm, 616 g

Check E-300 offers at
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Check FZ82 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Evolt E-300 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-300 and the Panasonic FZ82. 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 FZ82 is somewhat smaller (2 percent) than the Olympus E-300. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-300 nor the FZ82 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FZ82 has a lens built in, whereas the E-300 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-300 and their specifications in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-300 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the FZ82 can take 330 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BMB9 power pack. The power pack in the FZ82 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ82	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
5.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
6.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-400	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Sep 2006	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-1	141 mm	104 mm	81 mm	738 g	750	Y	Jun 2003	1,699	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The FZ82 was launched at a lower price than the E-300, 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-300 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Panasonic FZ82 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ82 is 88 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 5.6. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the FZ82 offers a higher resolution of 18 megapixels, compared with 8 MP of the E-300. 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 1.25μm versus 5.30μm for the E-300). However, it should be noted that the FZ82 is much more recent (by 12 years and 3 months) than the E-300, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the FZ82 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic FZ82 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the FZ82 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-300 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-300 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 DC-FZ82 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-300 is build around a CCD sensor, while the FZ82 uses a BSI-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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
2.		Panasonic FZ82	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
3.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
4.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
5.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
6.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
7.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
8.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
9.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
10.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
11.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
12.		Olympus E-400	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
13.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
14.		Olympus E-1	Four Thirds	4.9	2560	1920	none	20.0	9.7	-145	44
15.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
16.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
17.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The FZ82 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-300 does not. The highest resolution format that the FZ82 can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the FZ82 has an electronic viewfinder (1166k dots), while the E-300 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 FZ82 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-300 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the E-300 has a higher magnification (0.5x 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-300 and Panasonic FZ82 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
2.		Panasonic FZ82	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Olympus E-400	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
14.		Olympus E-1	optical	Y	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
15.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The FZ82 has a touchscreen, while the E-300 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 FZ82 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 E-300 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the FZ82 uses SDXC cards. The E-300 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the FZ82 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-300 and Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82 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-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Panasonic FZ82	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-400	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the FZ82 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-300 does not provide wifi capability.

The FZ82 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the E-300 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-300 was succeeded by the Olympus E-330. Further information on the features and operation of the E-300 and FZ82 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic FZ82 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus E-300 better than the Panasonic FZ82 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus Evolt E-300:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.5x vs 0.46x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 330) 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 available for much longer (launched in September 2004).

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ82:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (18 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 50%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p 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 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 (1040k vs 134k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the E-300 requires a separate lens.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the E-300).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 12 years and 3 months of technical progress since the E-300 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the FZ82 is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 12 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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-300 and the Panasonic FZ82 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 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-300 and the FZ82 in practical situations. 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 why expert reviews are important. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ82	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	amazon.com
3.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
5.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
6.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-400	..	85/100	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2006	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-1	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jun 2003	1,699	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	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 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.

Check E-300 offers at
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Check FZ82 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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