Olympus E-400 vs Panasonic ZR3

Let's look more closely at the Olympus E-400 vs Panasonic ZR3, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the image resolutions of the E-400 (10MP) and ZR3 (14MP) and the E-400 (Four Thirds) and ZR3 (1/2.3") offer different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-400 was launched 4 years prior to the ZR3 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summation of how the E-400 scores vs the ZR3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-400 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-400 Gallery and Panasonic ZR3 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry your camera frequently, you will want to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-400 provides outer measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") accompanied by a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs) while the Panasonic ZR3 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-400 vs Panasonic ZR3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the E-400 against the ZR3.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-400 and ZR3 is 77 and 94 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizing only by going over a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-400 and ZR3.

As you can see, the 2 cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-400 featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic ZR3 will deliver more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older E-400 is going to be behind in sensor technology.