Olympus E-1 vs Panasonic LX3

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic LX3, former is a Pro DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a noticeable gap between the resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and LX3 (10MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and LX3 (1/1.63") have totally different sensor size.

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The E-1 was manufactured 6 years earlier than the LX3 which is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Panasonic LX3 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a detailed comparison, here is a short summation of how the E-1 matches up against the LX3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Panasonic LX3 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to travel with your camera, you will want to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-1 has got physical dimensions of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") having a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) while the Panasonic LX3 has dimensions of 109mm x 60mm x 27mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.1") having a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-1 and Panasonic LX3 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at the time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-1 compared to the LX3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-1 and LX3 is 59 and 91 respectively.

Quite often, its tough to see the gap between sensor dimensions simply by looking at specs. The image underneath may give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-1 and LX3.

All in all, both cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-1 because of its bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic LX3 will give more detail due to its extra 5 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-1 is going to be behind in sensor technology.