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Olympus E-410 vs Panasonic L10

The Olympus E-410 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in March 2007 and August 2007. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 10 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-410
versus
Panasonic L10
Olympus E-410   Panasonic L10
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
10 MP – Four Thirds sensor 10 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video no Video
ISO 100-1,600 ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 215k dots 2.5" LCD – 207k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge450 shots per battery charge
130 x 91 x 53 mm, 435 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-410 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

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-410 and the Panasonic L10 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-410 vs Panasonic L10
Compare E-410 versus L10 top
Comparison E-410 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 larger (10 percent) than the Olympus E-410. Moreover, the L10 is markedly heavier (28 percent) than the E-410. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-410 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 adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 699ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic L10 135 mm 96 mm 78 mm 556 g 450 n Aug 2007 599ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 450D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 524 g 500 n Jan 2008 799ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus Stylus 1 116 mm 87 mm 57 mm 402 g 410 n Oct 2013 699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 499ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-510 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 538 g 750 n Mar 2007 799ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-400 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Sep 2006 699ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic G1 124 mm 84 mm 45 mm 360 g 410 n Sep 2008 599ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic L1 146 mm 87 mm 64 mm 606 g 750 n Feb 2006 999ebay.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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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 somewhat lower price (by 14 percent) than the E-410, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 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-410 and Panasonic L10 sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 10 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the E-410 and the L10 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the L10 is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 months) than the E-410, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Olympus E-410 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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-410 versus L10 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the L10 has a markedly higher DXO score than the E-410 (overall score 4 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.2 bits higher color depth, 0.8 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.2 stops of reduced low light sensitivity. 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
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
2.
 
Panasonic L10 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.310.842955
3.
 
Canon 450D APS-C 12.2 4272 2848none21.910.869261
4.
 
Olympus Stylus 1 1/1.7 11.8 3968 29761080/30p20.711.617951
5.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
6.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
7.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
8.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
9.
 
Olympus E-510 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.210.044252
10.
 
Olympus E-400 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.010.612753
11.
 
Panasonic G1 Four Thirds 12.0 4000 3000none21.110.346353
12.
 
Panasonic L1 Four Thirds 7.4 3136 2352none20.810.48052
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Both the E-410 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

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-410 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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), as well as the same magnification (0.46x). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-410 and Panasonic L10 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
2.
 
Panasonic L10optical n2.5 / 207 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 450Doptical n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
4.
 
Olympus Stylus 11440 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/2000s 7.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
6.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
8.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-510optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-400optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Panasonic G11440 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
12.
 
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.
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The L10 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the E-410 does not have a selfie-screen.

The E-410 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the L10 uses SDHC cards. The E-410 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-410 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
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Panasonic L10Y- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Canon 450DY- / ---mini2.0---
4.
 
Olympus Stylus 1Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-400Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Panasonic G1Y- / ---mini2.0---
12.
 
Panasonic L1Y- / ----2.0---
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Both the E-410 and the L10 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-410 was replaced by the Olympus E-420, while the L10 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-410 and L10 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-410 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic L10 Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus E-410 better than the Panasonic L10 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

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Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-410:

  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 121g or 22 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 450) 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 on the market for longer (launched in March 2007).

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Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC- L10:

  • Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.8 EV of extra DR).
  • 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.
  • More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (14 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (5 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the L10 emerges as the winner of the match-up (6 : 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-410 04:06 L10

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-410 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-410 or the L10. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 699ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic L10..85/100..+3.5/54/5 Aug 2007 599ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 450D..+ +..+ +4/54.5/5 Jan 2008 799ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus Stylus 1..+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 499ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 699ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-510..89/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Mar 2007 799ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-400..85/100....4/54/5 Sep 2006 699ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic G1..+ +..70/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2008 599ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic L1..85/100..+..3.5/5 Feb 2006 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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 make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-410 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-410 Panasonic L10
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date March 2007 August 2007
    Launch Price USD 699 USD 599
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-410 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 10 Megapixels 10 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3648 x 2736 pixels 3648 x 2736 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.74 μm 4.74 μm
    Pixel Density 4.44 MP/cm2 4.44 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 1,600 ISO 100 - 1,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic III Venus
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 51 55
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.1 21.3
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.0 10.8
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 494 429
    Screen Specs Olympus E-410 Panasonic L10
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.46x 0.46x
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.5inch 2.5inch
    LCD Resolution 215k dots 207k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Swivel screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-410 Panasonic L10
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    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-410 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-410 Panasonic L10
    Battery Type BLS-1 DMW-BLA13
    Battery Life (CIPA)500 shots per charge450 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 130 x 91 x 53 mm
    (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in)
    135 x 96 x 78 mm
    (5.3 x 3.8 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 435 g (15.3 oz) 556 g (19.6 oz)
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