Olympus E-3 vs Olympus 1

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-3 versus Olympus 1, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both built by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-3 (10MP) and the 1 (12MP) is fairly similar but the E-3 (Four Thirds) and 1 (1/1.7") offer totally different sensor dimensions.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The E-3 was announced 6 years before the 1 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus 1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go straight to a thorough comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-3 matches up versus the 1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-3 and Olympus Stylus 1. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Olympus 1 Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you will want to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-3 offers external dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") having a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) while the Olympus 1 has proportions of 116mm x 87mm x 57mm (4.6" x 3.4" x 2.2") having a weight of 402 grams (0.89 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-3 versus Olympus 1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-3 against the 1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and 1 is 56 and 79 respectively.

Normally, its hard to see the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by reading technical specs. The pic underneath will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-3 and 1.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-3 with its larger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF simpler and the Olympus 1 will deliver greater detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-3 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.