Leica Digilux 3 vs Olympus E-30

Its time to take a closer look at the Leica Digilux 3 and Olympus E-30, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras by brands Leica and Olympus. There is a huge difference between the resolutions of the Digilux 3 (7MP) and E-30 (12MP) but they possess the same exact sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The Digilux 3 was revealed 3 years prior to the E-30 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras offer the identical body type (Mid-size SLR).

Before we go through a complete comparison, below is a short highlight of how the Digilux 3 scores versus the E-30 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Leica Digilux 3 and Olympus E-30. The full galleries are provided at Leica Digilux 3 Gallery and Olympus E-30 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to factor its weight and size. The Leica Digilux 3 features exterior dimensions of 146mm x 87mm x 77mm (5.7" x 3.4" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs) while the Olympus E-30 has specifications of 142mm x 108mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.3" x 3.0") along with a weight of 695 grams (1.53 lbs).

Check the Leica Digilux 3 and Olympus E-30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the Digilux 3 vs the E-30.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the Digilux 3 and E-30 is 65 and 60 respectively.

Usually, it can be hard to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements merely by going over a spec sheet. The visual here might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the Digilux 3 and E-30.

Clearly, each of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit different resolution. You should expect the Olympus E-30 to offer greater detail because of its extra 5 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older Digilux 3 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.