Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic GF3

Let's examine more closely at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic GF3, former is a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a substantial difference between the image resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and GF3 (12MP) but they feature the exact same sensor dimensions (Four Thirds).

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The E-500 was launched 6 years prior to the GF3 which is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic GF3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a short overview of how the E-500 scores vs the GF3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-500 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-500 Gallery & Panasonic GF3 Gallery.

If you are intending to travel with your camera often, you should factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-500 enjoys outer dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Panasonic GF3 has sizing of 108mm x 67mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 264 grams (0.58 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-500 and Panasonic GF3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Underneath is the front view sizing comparison of the E-500 vs the GF3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and GF3 is 70 and 90 respectively.

Often, it is very hard to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions merely by reviewing a spec sheet. The pic below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and GF3.

As you can see, both cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same resolution. You can anticipate the Panasonic GF3 to deliver extra detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-500 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.