Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic FS12

In this article, we will be comparing the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic FS12, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-3 (10MP) and the FS12 (12MP) is pretty close but the E-3 (Four Thirds) and FS12 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-3 was released 14 months before the FS12 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FS12 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going through a detailed comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-3 grades against the FS12 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Panasonic FS12 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-3 enjoys external dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") along with a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) while the Panasonic FS12 has sizing of 97mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 129 grams (0.28 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic FS12 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at the time. Following is the front view size comparison of the E-3 versus the FS12.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and FS12 is 56 and 95 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to see the difference in sensor sizing merely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-3 and FS12.

As you can see, each of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-3 featuring a bigger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FS12 will result in more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs far more aggressively. The older E-3 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.