Olympus E620 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10 — Which Is Better?

The Olympus E620 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L10 are both DSLRs built on the Micro Four Thirds format, with the E620 arriving in 2009 and the L10 in 2007. Both take the Micro 4/3 mount, so a lens made for one fits the other. Each uses a Live MOS sensor.

The L10 is the bulkier body. It measures 135 x 96 x 78 mm against 130 x 94 x 60 mm for the E620, and it weighs 556 g against 500 g, an 11.2 per cent difference.

Handheld shooting in dim light is where the E620 is clearly stronger. It offers in-body stabilisation, which the L10 does not, so unstabilised prime lenses still get shake correction on the Olympus body. Its standard ISO range also reaches 3200, against 1600 on the L10, allowing higher sensitivity settings for indoor and evening work.

For action, the E620 leads with 7 autofocus points and 4 fps continuous shooting, against 3 points and 3 fps on the L10, which helps when framing a moving child or pet. Resolution also favours the E620, 12.3 MP against 10.1 MP, useful for cropping distant subjects. Both offer the same 1/4000 second top shutter speed.

Anyone needing motion recording must look past both cameras. Neither the E620 nor the L10 supports video recording, and neither offers a built-in timelapse function. Both are straightforward stills DSLRs, so clips simply cannot be captured on either body.

Wireless transfer is where the L10 has a clear advantage. It supports Wi-Fi, which the E620 does not, so images can move from camera to computer without a card reader. For composing, both offer a flip-out screen and live view, so waist-level macro shots and overhead crowd pictures are easy to frame on either body.

The E620's rear screen is the larger and sharper of the two, at 2.7 inches and 230000 dots against 2.5 inches and 207000 dots, which helps when checking focus after a shot. Both include a built-in flash and support external flash units. Neither offers GPS, a touchscreen or weather sealing.

Card formats split cleanly along brand lines. The E620 writes to CompactFlash Type I or II and xD Picture Card media across dual slots, while the L10 uses a single SD, SDHC or MMC slot. If you already own SD cards, the L10 works with the media you have, while the E620 can hold two cards at once.

Battery ratings favour the E620 slightly. Its BLS-1 pack is rated for 500 shots, against 450 shots from the L10's DMW-BLB13. Neither charges over USB, so both need an external charger between shooting sessions.