Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic FZ47

Following is a in depth assessment of the Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic FZ47, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-3 (10MP) and the FZ47 (12MP) is pretty similar but the E-3 (Four Thirds) and FZ47 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor size.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The E-3 was introduced 4 years earlier than the FZ47 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic FZ47 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-3 matches up vs the FZ47 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Panasonic FZ47 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you're going to have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-3 has outside 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 FZ47 has dimensions of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") along with a weight of 498 grams (1.10 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic FZ47 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached during that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the E-3 versus the FZ47.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-3 and FZ47 is 56 and 68 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to envision the difference between sensor sizes only by going over specifications. The picture underneath will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-3 and FZ47.

To sum up, the 2 cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-3 with its bigger sensor will make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FZ47 will offer greater detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-3 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.