Olympus E-500 vs Panasonic LX3

Its time to look closer at the Olympus E-500 versus Panasonic LX3, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-500 (8MP) and the LX3 (10MP) is fairly comparable but the E-500 (Four Thirds) and LX3 (1/1.63") feature totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was manufactured 4 years earlier than the LX3 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera 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 LX3 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight into a full comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the E-500 matches up against the LX3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-500 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Panasonic LX3 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-500 has external dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") along with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LX3 has dimensions of 109mm x 60mm x 27mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.1") and a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-500 versus Panasonic LX3 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the E-500 compared to the LX3.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-500 and LX3 is 70 and 91 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to see the difference in sensor sizing purely by seeing technical specs. The visual below will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-500 and LX3.

As you have seen, each of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-500 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic LX3 will provide extra detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The older E-500 will be behind when it comes to sensor tech.