Olympus E-400 vs Panasonic FH3

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus E-400 vs Panasonic FH3, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap among the resolutions of the E-400 (10MP) and FH3 (14MP) and the E-400 (Four Thirds) and FH3 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-400 was announced 4 years before the FH3 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief summary of how the E-400 grades against the FH3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-400 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-400 Gallery & Panasonic FH3 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera regularly, you have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-400 enjoys physical dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") with a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs) while the Panasonic FH3 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-400 vs Panasonic FH3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is a front view size comparison of the E-400 against the FH3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-400 and FH3 is 77 and 94 respectively.

Typically, it is very hard to see the contrast in sensor sizing merely by going through specs. The photograph below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-400 and FH3.

All in all, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-400 having a bigger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FH3 will show greater detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs more aggressively. The older E-400 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.