Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-510 Comparison

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Olympus E-500

8 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CCD Sensor

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Olympus E-510

10 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-510 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the E-500 and the E-510, two Advanced DSLR cameras by Olympus. Olympus E-500 was introduced to the market in October 2005 and Olympus E-510 was launched in November 2007. As you can see, E-500 is 2 years older than E-510. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Olympus E-500 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2005-10-21

8MP - Four Thirds CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 400 ( expands to 1600)

Four Thirds Mount

2.50" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

3.0fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

479g. 130 x 95 x 66 mm

Also known as EVOLT E-500

Olympus E-510 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2007-11-23

10MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 1600

Four Thirds Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

2.50" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder

3.0fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

490g. 136 x 92 x 68 mm

Also known as EVOLT E-510

Replaced Olympus E-500 Compare

Olympus E-510 was replaced by Olympus E-520. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-510 / EVOLT E-510
Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-500 / EVOLT E-500

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Olympus E-500 over Olympus E-510

Weight	479 g vs 490 g	11 g lighter
Flash Coverage	13.0m vs 12.0m	1m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	28.15µm2 vs 22.54µm2	24% larger pixel area
Optical Viewfinder Type	Pentaprism vs Pentamirror	Pentaprism Viewfinders are brighter than Pentamirror type

CHECK E-500 PRICE

Reasons to choose Olympus E-510 over Olympus E-500

In-built Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Viewfinder Magnif.	0.46x vs 0.45x	Larger Viewfinder
Sensor Resolution	10 MP vs 8 MP	25% more pixels
Max ISO	1.600 vs 400	300% higher Max ISO
LCD Resolution	230k dots vs 215k dots	6% higher resolution screen

CHECK E-510 PRICE

Common Strengths of Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality

Common Weaknesses of Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Max Resolution	8 MP vs 10 MP	Less details and smaller prints
LCD Screen Size	2.50" vs 2.50"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	215k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing	No vs No	Not good for multi-exposure HDR

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-510: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus E-500 has external dimensions of 130 x 95 x 66 mm (5.12 x 3.74 x 2.6″) and weighs 479 g (1.06 lb / 16.90 oz) (including batteries). Olympus E-510 has external dimensions of 136 x 92 x 68 mm (5.35 x 3.62 x 2.68″) and weighs 490 g (1.08 lb / 17.28 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Olympus E-500 and the Olympus E-510. Olympus E-500 is 6mm narrower and 2mm thinner than Olympus E-510 but it is also 3mm taller.

Comparison image of the Olympus E-500 and the Olympus E-510 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus E-500 is 11g lighter than the Olympus E-510 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 have the same Four Thirds lens mount and Four Thirds sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

E-500

E-510

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

E-500

E-510

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither the Olympus E-500 / EVOLT E-500 nor Olympus E-510 / EVOLT E-510 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 2.50 inches.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-510: Sensor Comparison

Olympus E-500 has a 8.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Olympus E-510 has a 10.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the E-500 and E-510 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 Cameras

Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Olympus E-500 has 24% larger pixel area compared to Olympus E-510, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-510 Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 have the same Four Thirds lens mount and currently there are 47 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Olympus E-510 has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. On the other hand, Olympus E-500 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 3 lenses for Four Thirds mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type	# of Olympus E-500 Lenses	# of Olympus E-510 Lenses
Standard Zoom	8	8
Standard Prime	5	5
Wideangle Zoom	4	4
Wideangle Prime	9	9
Telephoto Zoom	6	6
Telephoto Prime	5	5
SuperZoom	2	2
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	3	3
Macro Prime	4	4
Perspective Control Prime	n/a	n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime	1	1
TOTAL	47	47

Here are some of the most popular Four Thirds Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Four Thirds Mount Lenses for the E-500 and the E-510

	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 70-300mm f4.0-5.6	FourThirds	620gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 35-100mm f2.0	FourThirds	1650gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 90-250mm f2.8	FourThirds	3270gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus Zuiko Digital 300mm f2.8	FourThirds	3290gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus Zuiko Digital 17.5-45mm f3.5-5.6	FourThirds	210gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus Zuiko Digital 25mm f2.8 Pancake	FourThirds	95gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.3	FourThirds	435gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD	FourThirds	575gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Olympus E-500 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus E-510 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 8.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Read the details

Olympus E-500 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-510 for Street Photography

GOOD

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Large Body
Read the details

Olympus E-500 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-510 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
3 Focus Points
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
3 Focus Points
Read the details

Olympus E-500 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-510 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Large Body
479g
Body Thickness 66mm
Read the details

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Large Body
490g
Body Thickness 68mm
Read the details

Olympus E-500 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus E-510 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 8.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Live-view
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-510: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far, but in case you wonder how we rated Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Olympus E-500 and Olympus E-510 scores compare:

Olympus E-500

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #84 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #754 out of 1260 in all Cameras

Olympus E-510

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #61 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #497 out of 1260 in all Cameras

Olympus E-510 has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus E-500 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus E-510 vs Olympus E-500 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Olympus E-500	Olympus E-510
Brand	Olympus	Olympus
Announced	2005-10-21	2007-11-23
Body Type	Mid-size SLR	Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	Four Thirds	Four Thirds
Dimensions	17.3 x 13 mm	17.3 x 13 mm
Area	224.90mm²	224.90mm²
Megapixels	8 megapixels	10 megapixels
Max Resolution	3264 x 2448	3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity	400 ISO	1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	1600 ISO	-
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	3	3
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Four Thirds	Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses	47	47
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.50"	2.50"
Resolution	215k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.45x	0.46x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	No	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	13.00 m (at ISO 100)	12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync	1/180s	1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	3.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	None	None
Video Formats	n/a	n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	479g	490g
Dimensions	130 x 95 x 66mm	136 x 92 x 68mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	52
DxO Color Depth	not tested	21.2
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	10.0
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	442
	Report a correction	Report a correction