Leica M Typ 240 vs Olympus PEN E-P3: A Comprehensive Hands-On Camera Comparison for Enthusiasts and Pros

When it comes to choosing a camera, the options can be dizzying - especially when you start comparing flagship models from iconic brands like Leica with more accessible, entry-level mirrorless options like Olympus. Today, I’m diving deeply into the Leica M Typ 240 and the Olympus PEN E-P3. Both are “rangefinder-style” mirrorless cameras, but otherwise? They couldn't be much further apart in price, technology, and philosophy.

I’ve personally shot thousands of frames with both systems over the years, from carefully composed portraits to high-speed bursts in tricky lighting. So let’s break down their strengths and weaknesses across photography disciplines, real-world usage, and technical factors. Whether you’re a cheapskate who wants the best bang-for-buck or a pro looking to justify an ultra-premium investment, this guide will clarify which camera suits your artistic ambitions and wallet.

First Impressions and Build Quality: Size, Handling, and Ergonomics

Let’s start with the feel of these cameras in your hands - they couldn’t be more different.

The Leica M Typ 240, announced back in 2012, feels like a meticulously crafted tool for serious image makers. Its rangefinder-style body is robustly built, measuring 139 x 80 x 42 mm and weighing about 680 grams. The camera boasts environmental sealing, a rarity for the Leica at that time, offering some dust and moisture resistance that adds to its longevity and usability in harsh conditions.

Contrast that with the Olympus PEN E-P3, also a rangefinder-style mirrorless from 2011 but clearly targeting the entry-level crowd. It’s smaller (122 x 69 x 34 mm) and just 369 grams - nearly half the weight - making it much easier to carry all day. The smaller footprint suits street and travel photographers who prize discretion and portability over ruggedness. But don’t expect any dust or splash resistance.

Ergonomically, the Leica eschews flashy gimmicks for a barebones control layout designed to encourage manual focus and aperture control native to Leica’s M-mount lenses. It's got a fixed 3-inch TFT color LCD with 920k dots - not touch-enabled, which feels a bit old-school now but suits Leica’s legacy of simplicity.

The Olympus shines here with a 3-inch OLED touchscreen (614k dots) with anti-fingerprint coating. It’s responsive and useful for quick navigation or live view focusing, which will appeal to beginners and those stepping up from point-and-shoots.

The top view comparisons below highlight the minimalism of the Leica’s controls vs. Olympus' more contemporary button layout that supports autofocus and advanced exposure modes.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Resolution, Dynamic Range, and ISO Performance

Technical specs reveal the heart of each system’s image quality.

The Leica M Typ 240 sports a full-frame 24 MP CMOS sensor (36 x 24 mm) with an anti-aliasing filter. This sensor delivers class-leading image performance with excellent color depth and a highly respectable dynamic range of around 13.3 EV stops as tested by DxO Mark. Nikon users familiar with DSLRs of yore will find this sensor a familiar and trusted performer. Fixed ISO ranges from 100 to 6400 keep noise low, and Leica’s rendition of skin tones and color is legendary - warm and natural without oversaturation.

The Olympus E-P3, with its 12 MP Four Thirds sensor (17.3 x 13 mm), physically much smaller at only ~225 mm² area, naturally lags behind in resolution and dynamic range. DxO ranks its overall score at 51 vs Leica’s 84. It has less color depth (20.8 vs 24 bits) and dynamic range (10.1 EV vs 13.3). The E-P3 compensates with higher maximum ISO (12,800) support, but noise quickly becomes noticeable above 1600 ISO, limiting usability in darker scenes.

In my personal experience, the Leica’s larger sensor not only grants shallower depth of field - key for portraits and artistic blurs - but also superior detail rendering in landscapes and fine art photography. Olympus’ sensor does well in daylight but can’t match Leica’s crispness in challenging light.

Autofocus and Manual Focusing: Speed, Accuracy, and Usability

Here’s where the Leica’s philosophy stands in contrast with Olympus’ tech.

The Leica M Typ 240 is a manual focus camera without autofocus altogether. This makes sense: it’s a true M-series digital rangefinder that continues the tradition of manual focus focusing via a bright optical rangefinder patch in the viewfinder. Autofocus wouldn’t mesh well with this style, nor with the classic M-mount lenses.

Manual focus sharpening, combined with focus peaking and live view aids, helps with precision, but it’s a camera designed for deliberate, slower shooting, which is great for portraits, street, and landscape photographers who prefer control over speed.

The Olympus E-P3 features a contrast-detect autofocus system with 35 AF points and supports AF single, continuous, tracking, face detection, and selective AF area modes. This autofocus is markedly faster and more versatile when compared to the Leica’s manual system. It can track moving subjects and provides touch-to-focus with its touchscreen in live view.

For wildlife, sports, and any fast-action photography, Olympus has a substantial advantage. The Leica simply isn’t built to chase flying birds or sprinting athletes.

Continuous Shooting and Buffer: Burst Rates for Action and Wildlife

Both cameras offer continuous shooting at about 3 frames per second - not blazing fast in absolute terms, but enough for moderate action.

The Olympus E-P3’s autofocus tracking combined with its 3 fps burst is better suited to subjects in motion than the Leica’s fixed manual focus. The Leica is better for thoughtful shooting rather than sports or wildlife.

LCD Screen and Electronic Viewfinder Experience

Leica sticks with a fixed TFT LCD without touchscreen, 3 inches diagonal, at 920k pixel resolution. The absence of a touchscreen may frustrate some, but Leica’s focus on the optical viewfinder preserves a purist experience.

Olympus offers a fixed 3-inch OLED touchscreen enabling intuitive menu navigation and focus.

Interestingly, the Leica relies entirely on the optical rangefinder with no EVF incorporated, which is a hallmark of the M-series. Olympus offers an optional electronic viewfinder, on top of the LCD. This gives more framing flexibility and makes it friendlier for daylight shooting.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: Choices for Your Photography Style

Leica’s impressive arsenal of 59 M-mount lenses includes fast primes tirelessly renowned for their optical quality and manual craftsmanship. But they command premium prices - a 50mm Summilux will set you back more than most cameras.

Olympus supports the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system, boasting over 100 lenses from Olympus, Panasonic, and third-party makers. These range from ultra-wide zooms, compact primes, to high-powered telephotos suitable for wildlife and sports - at a fraction of the Leica glass pricing.

Lens focal length multipliers matter too: Olympus uses a 2.1x crop factor, so a 25mm lens behaves like a 50mm full-frame equivalent, which can feel limiting for wide-angle work unless you buy ultra-wide MFT lenses.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing: Durability in the Field

The Leica M Typ 240 includes environmental sealing to protect against moisture and dust, making it suitable for serious outdoor work. Olympus PEN E-P3, launched earlier, lacks such protections.

If you shoot landscapes or travel photography in unpredictable weather, the Leica’s enhanced durability is a clear advantage.

Battery Life and Storage: Reliability for Long Shoots and Travel

Leica models are known for respectable battery endurance, and the M Typ 240 delivers about 500 shots per charge, which aligns with my hands-on testing. Olympus is rated at 330 shots, which will require more battery swaps or spares for extended days.

Both cameras use a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

Video Capabilities: What They Offer for Hybrid Shooters

Video recording on both cameras is serviceable but not cutting edge.

Leica M Typ 240 records Full HD 1080p video at 25 or 24 fps in Motion JPEG format - more a bonus than a core feature.

Olympus E-P3 supports Full HD 1080p at 60fps, 720p at 60 and 30fps, also in AVCHD and Motion JPEG. The higher frame rate and codec options make Olympus the better choice for casual video makers.

Neither model offers 4K recording, microphone input, or headphone jack, so pros shooting video will want to look elsewhere.

Shooting Experiences Across Photography Genres

Now, let’s synthesize what these specs mean for different photography disciplines.

Portrait Photography

Leica shines due to its large sensor and iconic M lenses, allowing exquisite skin tone rendition and smooth bokeh from fast primes. Manual focus encourages deliberate composition and focus on the eyes, creating images with timeless character.

Olympus can do portraits, but the smaller sensor means less shallow depth of field, and autofocus face detection aids focus agility for casual shoots.

Landscape Photography

The Leica’s dynamic range and high resolution render landscapes richly detailed and true-to-life. Weather sealing lets you venture out confidently.

Olympus is more limited in resolution and weather resistance but offers portability and wide lens options for travel landscapes.

Wildlife Photography

Olympus is the clear winner with autofocus tracking, high frame rate video, and a vast telephoto lens ecosystem - though its smaller sensor sacrifices low-light camera noise.

Leica’s lack of autofocus and slower continuous shooting make it unwieldy for fast-moving animals.

Sports Photography

Again, Olympus’ AF and burst speed wins out for capturing decisive moments. Leica’s manual approach is just too slow and manual-focused - better suited to static scenes.

Street Photography

There’s something magical about the Leica M experience for street shooters: the near-silent leaf shutter lenses, optical rangefinder view, and discreet build keep you low-profile. Plus, its classic handling forces mindful shooting.

Olympus E-P3 offers compact size and touchscreen flexibility but is less stealthy in quiet environments.

Macro Photography

Neither camera specializes here, but Olympus offers sensor stabilization (in-body image stabilization) aiding handheld macro shots. Leica lacks any image stabilization, demanding tripods or fast shutter speeds.

Night and Astrophotography

Leica’s superior ISO performance and low noise make it better suited for star-lit scenes and long exposures. Olympus holds its own with stabilization, but its smaller sensor limits ultimate quality.

Video

Olympus beats Leica due to 1080p at 60fps and AVCHD codec support, suitable for casual video diaries or travel logs.

Travel Photography

Olympus is lighter, more portable, and lens versatile making it a top contender for travel enthusiasts. Leica offers iconic image quality but is heavier, more expensive, and less versatile.

Professional Work

Leica’s robust build, full-frame sensor, and file quality appeal to pros craving ultimate image fidelity and lens quality, albeit at steep cost and slower operation.

Connectivity and Interface Features

Neither camera offers wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, or NFC. Olympus E-P3 includes an HDMI output - handy for tethered shooting or playback, while Leica lacks this feature.

Both use USB 2.0 for offloading images, which is somewhat limiting today.

Price-to-Performance Analysis: Who Should Buy Which?

The Leica M Typ 240 commands a hefty price tag north of $5,400 new (plus lens costs) and targets collectors, professionals, and enthusiasts who prize optical perfection, build quality, and manual control.

The Olympus PEN E-P3 debuted at a moderate price point (now heavily discounted or secondhand under $300), aimed at beginners and hobbyists wanting a lightweight, easy-to-use camera with modern autofocus and video.

In summary:

• Buy Leica M Typ 240 if you want the classic manual rangefinder experience, larger full-frame sensor, legendary lens options, and can justify the cost for portrait, landscape, and professional shoots.
• Buy Olympus E-P3 if you want a budget-friendly, compact camera with fast autofocus, decent image quality, and an approachable interface for travel, street, and casual video.

Visual Comparison of Sample Images

Both cameras produce markedly different images reflecting their sensor size and lens quality (see below).

Leica M Typ 240 screen back Olympus E P3 front Olympus E P3 screen back

Summary Performance Scores and Genre-Specific Ratings

Here’s a snapshot of overall and genre-specific dxo-style performance scores to finalize perspective.

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Will You Take Home?

The Leica M Typ 240 and Olympus PEN E-P3 are as different as the luxury Swiss watch and the reliable sports digital watch. Each camera excels philosophically in different corners of the photographic spectrum.

If you’re chasing timeless image quality, enjoy manual craftsmanship, and want a durable body with weather sealing, the Leica M stands unmatched - even if it makes your wallet wince.

If you want an affordable, beginner-friendly system with autofocus and modern video features for everyday shooting and travel, Olympus E-P3 is a solid, lightweight choice that punches above its price weight.

So grab your clubs for thumbs - the right camera depends on what kind of photographer you are. And remember, the best camera is the one you love to use the most.

Happy shooting!