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Olympus E-5 vs E-600

The Olympus E-5 and the Olympus E-600 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2010 and August 2009. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 12.2 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-5
versus
Olympus E-600
Olympus E-5   Olympus E-600
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor 12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
720/30p Video no Video
ISO 100-6,400 ISO 100-3,200
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots 2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive) Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second 4 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodynot weather sealed
750 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
142 x 117 x 75 mm, 873 g 130 x 94 x 60 mm, 535 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-5 and the Olympus E-600? 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-5 and the Olympus E-600 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-5 vs Olympus E-600
Compare E-5 versus E-600 top
Comparison E-5 or E-600 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-600 is notably smaller (26 percent) than the Olympus E-5. Moreover, the E-600 is substantially lighter (39 percent) than the E-5. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-5 is splash and dust resistant, while the E-600 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. 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.

Concerning battery life, the E-5 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-5 battery, while the E-600 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-1 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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-5 142 mm 117 mm 75 mm 873 g 750 Y Sep 2010 1,699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-600 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 535 g 500 n Aug 2009 449ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1 115 mm 72 mm 42 mm 334 g 290 n Feb 2010 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 499ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P1 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Jun 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-P2 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Nov 2009 799ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-30 142 mm 108 mm 75 mm 701 g 750 n Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-3 142 mm 116 mm 75 mm 876 g 750 Y Oct 2007 1,699ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-510 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 538 g 750 n Mar 2007 799ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-1 141 mm 104 mm 81 mm 738 g 750 Y Jun 2003 1,699ebay.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 E-600 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 74 percent) than the E-5, 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. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the E-5 uses a more advanced image processing engine (TruePic V+) than the E-600 (TruePic III+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Olympus E-5 and Olympus E-600 sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 12.2 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the E-5 and the E-600 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the E-5 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year) than the E-600, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Olympus E-5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus E-600 are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (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-5 versus E-600 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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-5 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.610.551956
2.
 
Olympus E-600 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.510.354155
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.148754
4.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
5.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
6.
 
Olympus E-P1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.410.453655
7.
 
Olympus E-P2 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.450556
8.
 
Olympus E-30 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.453055
9.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
10.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
11.
 
Olympus E-3 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.610.557156
12.
 
Olympus E-510 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.210.044252
13.
 
Olympus E-1 Four Thirds 4.9 2560 1920none20.09.7-14544
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The E-5 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the E-600 does not. The highest resolution format that the E-5 can use is 720/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The E-5 and the E-600 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-5 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-600 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the E-5 has a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.48x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-5 and Olympus E-600 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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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-5optical Y3.0 / 920 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Olympus E-600optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1optional n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/2000s 3.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
5.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-P1none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-P2optional n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-30optical Y2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
10.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
11.
 
Olympus E-3optical Y2.5 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Olympus E-510optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Olympus E-1optical Y1.8 / 134 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One feature that is present on the E-5, but is missing on the E-600 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-5 and the E-600 write their files to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

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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-5 and Olympus E-600 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-5Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
2.
 
Olympus E-600Y- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-P1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-P2Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-30Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-3Y- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Olympus E-1Y- / ----2.0---
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Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-5 (unlike the E-600) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the E-5 and the E-600 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. Further information on the features and operation of the E-5 and E-600 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-600 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-5 and the Olympus E-600? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Arguments in favor of the Olympus E-5:

  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (TruePic V+ vs TruePic III+).
  • Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 720/30p movies.
  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.48x).
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 230k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year after the E-600).


Advantages of the Olympus E-600:

  • More compact: Is smaller (130x94mm vs 142x117mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 338g or 39 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (74 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2009).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-5 is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 4 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 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-5 13:04 E-600

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-5 and the Olympus E-600 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-5 or the E-600 perform in practice. 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 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
# 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-54/5....75/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2010 1,699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-600..........4.5/5 Aug 2009 449ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL1..86/100..69/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2010 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 499ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P1..+..66/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-P23/5+..69/1004/54.5/5 Nov 2009 799ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-30......71/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-3..88/100..+ +o4/5 Oct 2007 1,699ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-510..89/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Mar 2007 799ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-1......+o.. Jun 2003 1,699ebay.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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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-5 vs Olympus E-600

    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-5 Olympus E-600
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date September 2010 August 2009
    Launch Price USD 1,699 USD 449
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-5 Olympus E-600
    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 12.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4032 x 3024 pixels 4032 x 3024 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.29 μm 4.29 μm
    Pixel Density 5.42 MP/cm2 5.42 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 720/30p Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 6,400 ISO 100 - 3,200 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic V+ TruePic III+
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 56 55
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.6 21.5
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.5 10.3
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 519 541
    Screen Specs Olympus E-5 Olympus E-600
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.58x 0.48x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 2.7inch
    LCD Resolution 920k dots 230k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Swivel screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-5 Olympus E-600
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 4 shutter flaps/s
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF or XD cards CF or XD cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Dual card slots
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-5 Olympus E-600
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket no PC Sync
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Olympus E-5 Olympus E-600
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodynot weather sealed
    Battery Type Olympus BLM-5 Olympus BLS-1
    Battery Life (CIPA)750 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 142 x 117 x 75 mm
    (5.6 x 4.6 x 3.0 in)
    130 x 94 x 60 mm
    (5.1 x 3.7 x 2.4 in)
    Camera Weight 873 g (30.8 oz) 535 g (18.9 oz)
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