Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic FH22

In this write-up, we are reviewing the Olympus E-3 versus Panasonic FH22, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and FH22 (14MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and FH22 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was unveiled 22 months before the FH22 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FH22 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a complete comparison, below is a simple view of how the E-3 matches up versus the FH22 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH22. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Panasonic FH22 Gallery.

If you're aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-3 features external measurements of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") along with a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FH22 has proportions of 100mm x 57mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 170 grams (0.37 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-3 versus Panasonic FH22 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are working with at that time. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the E-3 against the FH22.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-3 and FH22 is 56 and 94 respectively.

Often, it is very tough to visualize the difference between sensor dimensions just by checking technical specs. The picture below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-3 and FH22.

As you can tell, both of those cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-3 having a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic FH22 will give you extra detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged E-3 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.