Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic LZ40

In this article, we will be looking at the Olympus E-3 versus Panasonic LZ40, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and LZ40 (20MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and LZ40 (1/2.3") come with different sensor dimensions.

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The E-3 was revealed 6 years before the LZ40 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic LZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going straight into a full comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-3 scores against the LZ40 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Panasonic LZ40 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-3 features exterior 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 LZ40 has measurements of 126mm x 87mm x 94mm (5.0" x 3.4" x 3.7") with a weight of 524 grams (1.16 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-3 versus Panasonic LZ40 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the E-3 and the LZ40.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and LZ40 is 56 and 67 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor sizing merely by viewing a spec sheet. The photograph below might give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-3 and LZ40.

Clearly, the 2 cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-3 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic LZ40 will provide you with more detail because of its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older E-3 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.