Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic SZ1

Below is a complete comparison of the Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic SZ1, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and SZ1 (16MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and SZ1 (1/2.3") have different sensor measurements.

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The E-3 was unveiled 4 years before the SZ1 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic SZ1 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the E-3 grades vs the SZ1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Panasonic SZ1 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera, you will need to factor its weight and dimensions. 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 SZ1 has dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 131 grams (0.29 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic SZ1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at the time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the E-3 and the SZ1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and SZ1 is 56 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to picture the contrast between sensor measurements simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The graphic below may offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-3 and SZ1.

Clearly, each of these cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-3 using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic SZ1 will offer you more detail having an extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images way more aggressively. The older E-3 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.