A potelyt.com – Photography & Imaging Resources
ad

When you use links on apotelyt.com to buy products,
the site may earn a commission.

PW

Olympus E-520 vs E-450

The Olympus E-520 and the Olympus E-450 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2008 and March 2009. 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-520
versus
Olympus E-450
Olympus E-520   Olympus E-450
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
2.7" LCD – 215k dots 2.7" LCD – 215k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3.5 shutter flaps per second 3.5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
750 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
136 x 92 x 68 mm, 535 g 130 x 91 x 53 mm, 440 g
logo
Check E-520 offers at
ebay.com
logo
Check E-450 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-520 and the Olympus E-450? 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.

ad

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-520 and the Olympus E-450 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-450
Compare E-520 versus E-450 top
Comparison E-520 or E-450 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-450 is notably smaller (5 percent) than the Olympus E-520. Moreover, the E-450 is markedly lighter (18 percent) than the E-520. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-520 nor the E-450 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.

Concerning battery life, the E-520 gets 750 shots out of its BLM-1 battery, while the E-450 can take 500 images on a single charge of its BLS-1 power pack.

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.

scroll hint
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-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-450 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2009 499ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-600 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 535 g 500 n Aug 2009 449ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P1 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Jun 2009 799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P2 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Nov 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-30 142 mm 108 mm 75 mm 701 g 750 n Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-510 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 538 g 750 n Mar 2007 799ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic L10 135 mm 96 mm 78 mm 556 g 450 n Aug 2007 599ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
padding

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-450 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 29 percent) than the E-520, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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.

Technology-wise, the E-450 uses a more advanced image processing engine (TruePic III+) than the E-520 (TruePic III), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Olympus E-520 and Olympus E-450 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-520 and the E-450 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the E-450 is a somewhat more recent model (by 10 months) than the E-520, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Olympus E-520 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The Olympus E-450 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-520 versus E-450 MP

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 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.

scroll hint
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-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
2.
 
Olympus E-450 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.551256
3.
 
Olympus E-600 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.510.354155
4.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
5.
 
Olympus E-P1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.410.453655
6.
 
Olympus E-P2 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.450556
7.
 
Olympus E-30 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.453055
8.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
9.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
10.
 
Olympus E-510 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.210.044252
11.
 
Panasonic L10 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.310.842955
padding
Both the E-520 and the E-450 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.
ad

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-520 and the E-450 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-520 and Olympus E-450 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

scroll hint
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-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
2.
 
Olympus E-450optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
3.
 
Olympus E-600optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-P1none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
6.
 
Olympus E-P2optional n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus E-30optical Y2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
9.
 
Olympus E-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
10.
 
Olympus E-510optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Panasonic L10optical n2.5 / 207 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
padding

One feature that differentiates the E-520 and the E-450 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-520 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the E-450 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-520 and the E-450 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.

ad

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-520 and Olympus E-450 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

scroll hint
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-520Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Olympus E-450Y- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Olympus E-600Y- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-P1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-P2Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-30Y- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Panasonic L10Y- / ----2.0---
padding

Both the E-520 and the E-450 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-520 and E-450 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-520 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-450 Manual.

ad

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-520 and the Olympus E-450? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Advantages of the Olympus E-520:

  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in May 2008).


Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-450:

  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (TruePic III+ vs TruePic III).
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 95g or 18 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (29 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (10 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-450 comes out slightly ahead of the E-520 (4 : 3 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.

E-520 03:04 E-450

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-520 and the Olympus E-450 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-520 or the E-450. 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.

scroll hint
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-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 699ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-450........4/54/5 Mar 2009 499ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-600..........4.5/5 Aug 2009 449ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-P1..+..66/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2009 799ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P23/5+..69/1004/54.5/5 Nov 2009 799ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-30......71/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-510..89/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Mar 2007 799ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic L10..85/100..+3.5/54/5 Aug 2007 599ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

logo
Check E-520 offers at
ebay.com
logo
Check E-450 offers at
ebay.com

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.

~
    loader
    ad

    Specifications: Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-450

    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-520 Olympus E-450
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date May 2008 March 2009
    Launch Price USD 699 USD 499
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-520 Olympus E-450
    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 TruePic III+
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 55 56
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.4 21.5
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.4 10.5
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 548 512
    Screen Specs Olympus E-520 Olympus E-450
    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 2.7inch 2.7inch
    LCD Resolution 215k dots 215k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-520 Olympus E-450
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3.5 shutter flaps/s 3.5 shutter flaps/s
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    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-520 Olympus E-450
    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-520 Olympus E-450
    Battery Type BLM-1 BLS-1
    Battery Life (CIPA)750 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 136 x 92 x 68 mm
    (5.4 x 3.6 x 2.7 in)
    130 x 91 x 53 mm
    (5.1 x 3.6 x 2.1 in)
    Camera Weight 535 g (18.9 oz) 440 g (15.5 oz)
    logo
    Check E-520 offers at
    ebay.com
    logo
    Check E-450 offers at
    ebay.com

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

    You are here Home  »  CAM-parator  »  Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-450