Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic GF8

The following is a detailed review of the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic GF8, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and GF8 (16MP) but they feature the exact same sensor measurements (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was unveiled 9 years prior to the GF8 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic GF8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick summary of how the E-3 matches up versus the GF8 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Panasonic GF8 Gallery.

If you're looking to travel with your camera regularly, you need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-3 enjoys physical measurements of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") and a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GF8 has specifications of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 266 grams (0.59 lbs).

See the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic GF8 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-3 versus the GF8.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and GF8 is 56 and 90 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor dimensions just by checking specs. The pic underneath should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-3 and GF8.

All in all, both of these cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit different MP. You should count on the Panasonic GF8 to give greater detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots much more aggressively. The more aged E-3 is going to be behind in sensor technology.