Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic S1

On this page, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic S1, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-3 (10MP) and the S1 (12MP) is pretty close but the E-3 (Four Thirds) and S1 (1/2.3") have different sensor measurements.

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The E-3 was revealed 3 years before the S1 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic S1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise overview of how the E-3 matches up against the S1 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

If you're going to travel with your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-3 features outside 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 S1 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") having a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic S1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are employing during that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the E-3 compared to the S1.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and S1 is 56 and 96 respectively.

Generally, it's difficult to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions only by viewing specifications. The pic here will offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-3 and S1.

To sum up, both of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-3 having a bigger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic S1 will result in more detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots more aggressively. The more aged E-3 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.