Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic G85

Here is a complete analysis of the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic G85, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and G85 (16MP) but they enjoy the exact same sensor size (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was released 9 years earlier than the G85 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic G85 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-3 scores versus the G85 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Panasonic G85 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-3 has got exterior measurements of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) while the Panasonic G85 has measurements of 128mm x 89mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 2.9") and a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs).

See the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic G85 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-3 vs the G85.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and G85 is 56 and 69 respectively.

Oftentimes, its tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing only by looking at technical specs. The visual below might give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-3 and G85.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different MP. You should expect to see the Panasonic G85 to give you greater detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images much more aggressively. The older E-3 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.