Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic FP3

Lets look much closer at the Olympus E-420 versus Panasonic FP3, one is a Entry-Level DSLR and the other is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-420 (10MP) and FP3 (14MP) and the E-420 (Four Thirds) and FP3 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-420 was launched 18 months before the FP3 making them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic FP3 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the E-420 grades vs the FP3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-420 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-420 Gallery and Panasonic FP3 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera regularly, you should take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-420 has external dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") having a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Panasonic FP3 has measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") with a weight of 155 grams (0.34 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-420 versus Panasonic FP3 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have during that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the E-420 against the FP3.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-420 and FP3 is 77 and 95 respectively.

Quite often, it is very tough to visualise the difference in sensor sizes just by viewing a spec sheet. The picture below may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-420 and FP3.

As you can see, both of those cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-420 featuring a larger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic FP3 will render extra detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos more aggressively. The more aged E-420 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.