Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic FH7

The following is a comprehensive analysis of the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic FH7, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and FH7 (16MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and FH7 (1/2.3") possess different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was brought out 4 years before the FH7 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FH7 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a complete comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-3 scores vs the FH7 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Panasonic FH7 Gallery.

For those who are intending to travel with your camera regularly, you will want to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-3 has outside dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") having a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) and the Panasonic FH7 has proportions of 95mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic FH7 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at the time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the E-3 and the FH7.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and FH7 is 56 and 96 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by viewing specs. The picture underneath will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-3 and FH7.

All in all, both of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-3 because of its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic FH7 will provide you with more detail having its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged E-3 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.