Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic FZ40

Here, we are matching up the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic FZ40, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and FZ40 (14MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and FZ40 (1/2.3") provide different sensor dimensions.

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The E-3 was released 3 years prior to the FZ40 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving right into a in depth comparison, here is a short introduction of how the E-3 scores vs the FZ40 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Panasonic FZ40 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-3 has external dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") and a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) while the Panasonic FZ40 has specifications of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") along with a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic FZ40 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you select at that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the E-3 versus the FZ40.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the E-3 and FZ40 is 56 and 68 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to imagine the gap between sensor measurements just by reviewing a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-3 and FZ40.

Clearly, each of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-3 because of its larger sensor is going to make achieving bokeh easier and the Panasonic FZ40 will deliver greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images way more aggressively. The older E-3 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.