Olympus E-3 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Its time to look much closer at the Olympus E-3 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are sold by Olympus. The resolution of the E-3 (10MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) is very comparable but the E-3 (Four Thirds) and XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") possess totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was announced 5 years earlier than the XZ-2 iHS and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before going through a thorough comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-3 matches up versus the XZ-2 iHS in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-3 & Olympus XZ-2 iHS. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-3 has exterior measurements of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") having a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) whilst the Olympus XZ-2 iHS has proportions of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") along with a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs).

See the Olympus E-3 versus Olympus XZ-2 iHS in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Underneath is the front view sizing comparison of the E-3 and the XZ-2 iHS.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and XZ-2 iHS is 56 and 85 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizing merely by checking out specifications. The photograph here might offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-3 and XZ-2 iHS.

To sum up, both of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-3 having a larger sensor will make getting bokeh easier and the Olympus XZ-2 iHS will produce more detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The older E-3 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.