Olympus E-300 vs Sigma fp
The Olympus Evolt E-300 and the Sigma fp are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2004 and July 2019. The E-300 is a DSLR, while the fp is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-300) and a full frame (fp) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 8 megapixels, whereas the Sigma provides 24 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus Evolt E-300 and the Sigma fp? 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 Sigma fp. 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 dimensions 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 Sigma fp is considerably smaller (37 percent) than the Olympus E-300. Moreover, the fp is markedly lighter (32 percent) than the E-300. It is noteworthy in this context that the fp is splash and dust-proof, while the E-300 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.
Concerning battery life, the E-300 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the fp can take 280 images on a single charge of its Sigma BP-51 power pack. The power pack in the fp can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.
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. | Sigma fp | 113 mm | 70 mm | 45 mm | 422 g | 280 | Y | Jul 2019 | 1,899 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon XT | 127 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 540 g | 400 | n | Feb 2005 | 899 | ebay.com | |
4. | Fujifilm X-Pro3 | 141 mm | 83 mm | 46 mm | 497 g | 440 | Y | Oct 2019 | 1,799 | amazon.com | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | 146 mm | 87 mm | 77 mm | 606 g | 750 | n | Sep 2006 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D780 | 144 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 840 g | 2260 | Y | Jan 2020 | 2,299 | amazon.com | |
7. | Olympus E-1 | 141 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 738 g | 750 | Y | Jun 2003 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-330 | 140 mm | 87 mm | 72 mm | 637 g | 750 | n | Jan 2006 | 999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-400 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Sep 2006 | 699 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-500 | 130 mm | 95 mm | 66 mm | 479 g | 750 | n | Sep 2005 | 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-510 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 538 g | 750 | n | Mar 2007 | 799 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-520 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 535 g | 750 | n | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-620 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 521 g | 500 | n | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic S1 | 149 mm | 110 mm | 97 mm | 1017 g | 400 | Y | Feb 2019 | 2,499 | amazon.com | |
16. | Panasonic S1H | 151 mm | 114 mm | 110 mm | 1052 g | 400 | Y | May 2019 | 3,999 | amazon.com | |
17. | Panasonic S5 | 133 mm | 98 mm | 82 mm | 714 g | 440 | Y | Sep 2020 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-300 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 58 percent) than the fp, which puts it into a different 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. 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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 Sigma fp a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the fp is 281 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the E-300 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the fp offers a 3:2 aspect.
With 24MP, the fp offers a higher resolution than the E-300 (8MP), but the fp nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.98μm versus 5.30μm for the E-300) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the fp is a much more recent model (by 14 years and 9 months) than the E-300, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the fp has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Sigma fp implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the fp for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 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 Sigma fp are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 6-102400.
In terms of underlying technology, the E-300 is build around a CCD sensor, while the fp 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.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
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. | Sigma fp | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.2 | 14.2 | 2829 | 94 | |
3. | Canon XT | APS-C | 8.0 | 3456 | 2304 | none | 21.8 | 10.8 | 637 | 60 | |
4. | Fujifilm X-Pro3 | APS-C | 26.0 | 6240 | 4160 | 4K/30p | 24.1 | 13.6 | 1968 | 84 | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | Four Thirds | 7.4 | 3136 | 2352 | none | 21.0 | 10.6 | 127 | 53 | |
6. | Nikon D780 | Full Frame | 24.3 | 6048 | 4024 | 4K/30p | 25.3 | 14.3 | 2877 | 95 | |
7. | Olympus E-1 | Four Thirds | 4.9 | 2560 | 1920 | none | 20.0 | 9.7 | -145 | 44 | |
8. | Olympus E-330 | Four Thirds | 7.4 | 3136 | 2352 | none | 20.8 | 10.4 | 73 | 52 | |
9. | Olympus E-400 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.0 | 10.6 | 127 | 53 | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.1 | 10.0 | 494 | 51 | |
11. | Olympus E-500 | Four Thirds | 8.0 | 3264 | 2448 | none | 20.7 | 10.3 | 45 | 51 | |
12. | Olympus E-510 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.2 | 10.0 | 442 | 52 | |
13. | Olympus E-520 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.4 | 10.4 | 548 | 55 | |
14. | Olympus E-620 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.3 | 536 | 55 | |
15. | Panasonic S1 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/60p | 25.2 | 14.5 | 3333 | 95 | |
16. | Panasonic S1H | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 6K/30p | 25.2 | 14.2 | 2805 | 94 | |
17. | Panasonic S5 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/60p | 25.1 | 14.5 | 2697 | 94 | |
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 fp indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-300 does not. The highest resolution format that the fp can use is 4K/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the E-300 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the fp relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the fp can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-11. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-300 and Sigma fp along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
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. | Sigma fp | optional | n | 3.2 / 2100 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | n | n | |
3. | Canon XT | optical | n | 1.8 / 115 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
4. | Fujifilm X-Pro3 | 3690 | n | 3.0 / 1620 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | n | n | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | optical | n | 2.5 / 207 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon D780 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | n | n | |
7. | Olympus E-1 | optical | Y | 1.8 / 134 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | n | |
8. | Olympus E-330 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Olympus E-400 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Olympus E-500 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
12. | Olympus E-510 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
13. | Olympus E-520 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | Y | |
14. | Olympus E-620 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Panasonic S1 | 5760 | Y | 3.2 / 2100 | full-flex | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Panasonic S1H | 5760 | Y | 3.2 / 2330 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Panasonic S5 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1840 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | n | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The E-300 has one, while the fp does not. While the built-in flash of the E-300 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
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 fp 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 Sigma fp 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-300 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the fp uses SDXC cards. The E-300 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the fp 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 Sigma fp and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
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. | Sigma fp | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 3.1 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon XT | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Fujifilm X-Pro3 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | - | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D780 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
7. | Olympus E-1 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus E-330 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-400 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-500 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-510 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Olympus E-520 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Olympus E-620 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Panasonic S1 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
16. | Panasonic S1H | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
17. | Panasonic S5 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | - | Y |
The fp is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sigma. 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 fp can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sigma fp Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus E-300 better than the Sigma fp or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Arguments in favor of the Olympus Evolt E-300:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 280) on a single battery charge.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (58 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2004).
Advantages of the Sigma fp:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 77%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
- Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
- More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p video.
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 134k dots).
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 2.5 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.
- More compact: Is smaller (113x70mm vs 147x85mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 202g or 32 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
- Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
- More modern: Reflects 14 years and 9 months of technical progress since the E-300 launch.
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the fp is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 7 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 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 Sigma fp place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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-300 or the fp. 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 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.
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. | Sigma fp | 4/5 | .. | 4/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2019 | 1,899 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon XT | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | o | .. | Feb 2005 | 899 | ebay.com | |
4. | Fujifilm X-Pro3 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 85/100 | 4/5 | .. | Oct 2019 | 1,799 | amazon.com | |
5. | Leica Digilux 3 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Sep 2006 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D780 | 5/5 | .. | 5/5 | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2020 | 2,299 | amazon.com | |
7. | Olympus E-1 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | .. | Jun 2003 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-330 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | .. | Jan 2006 | 999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-400 | .. | 85/100 | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2006 | 699 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | .. | 86/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-500 | .. | 76/100 | .. | + + | .. | .. | Sep 2005 | 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-510 | .. | 89/100 | .. | + + | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | 799 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-520 | .. | 87/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-620 | 3/5 | 88/100 | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
15. | Panasonic S1 | 4.5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 88/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2019 | 2,499 | amazon.com | |
16. | Panasonic S1H | .. | .. | 4/5 | 90/100 | .. | .. | May 2019 | 3,999 | amazon.com | |
17. | Panasonic S5 | 4.5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 88/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2020 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods 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? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon 300D vs Sigma fp
- Canon M10 vs Olympus E-300
- Canon M3 vs Olympus E-300
- Leica V-LUX Typ 114 vs Olympus E-300
- Olympus E-1 vs Olympus E-300
- Olympus E-300 vs Panasonic FZ200
- Olympus E-300 vs Sony HX99
- Panasonic GH6 vs Sigma fp
- Panasonic LX15 vs Sigma fp
- Sigma fp vs Sony HX350
- Sigma fp vs Sony NEX-5
- Sigma fp vs Sony ZV-E10
Specifications: Olympus E-300 vs Sigma fp
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 Model | Olympus E-300 | Sigma fp |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | Leica L mount lenses |
Launch Date | September 2004 | July 2019 |
Launch Price | USD 799 | USD 1,899 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-300 | Sigma fp |
Sensor Technology | CCD | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 35.9 x 23.9 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 858.01 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 43.1 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 1.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 8 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3264 x 2448 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 5.30 μm | 5.98 μm |
Pixel Density | 3.55 MP/cm2 | 2.80 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 400 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 1,600 ISO | 6 - 102,400 ISO |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-300 | Sigma fp |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Viewfinder optional |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.5x | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
Rear LCD Size | 1.8inch | 3.2inch |
LCD Resolution | 134k dots | 2100k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Fixed screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-300 | Sigma fp |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/8000s |
Continuous Shooting | 2.5 shutter flaps/s | 12 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | up to 1/8000s |
Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Single card slot |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-300 | Sigma fp |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 3.1 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Olympus E-300 | Sigma fp |
Environmental Sealing | not weather sealed | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Olympus BLM-1 | Sigma BP-51 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 750 shots per charge | 280 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
147 x 85 x 64 mm (5.8 x 3.3 x 2.5 in) |
113 x 70 x 45 mm (4.4 x 2.8 x 1.8 in) |
Camera Weight | 624 g (22.0 oz) | 422 g (14.9 oz) |
Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.