Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic ZS3

Below is a detailed overview of the Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic ZS3, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-420 (10MP) and the ZS3 (10MP) is fairly close but the E-420 (Four Thirds) and ZS3 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-420 was launched 10 months earlier than the ZS3 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-420 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the E-420 matches up against the ZS3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-420 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-420 Gallery & Panasonic ZS3 Gallery.

If you're looking to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-420 offers exterior dimensions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") accompanied by a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS3 has measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-420 vs Panasonic ZS3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the E-420 versus the ZS3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-420 and ZS3 is 77 and 91 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to visualize the difference in sensor measurements only by looking through specifications. The visual below will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-420 and ZS3.

Plainly, both cameras have got the exact same megapixel count but different sensor measurements. The E-420 has the larger sensor which should make getting shallower DOF less difficult. The older E-420 will be behind in sensor innovation.