Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic GF3

Following is a extensive review of the Olympus E-520 and Panasonic GF3, former is a Entry-Level DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-520 (10MP) and the GF3 (12MP) is fairly well matched and they enjoy the exact same sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-520 was brought out 4 years before the GF3 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic GF3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a complete comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-520 scores against the GF3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-520 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-520 Gallery & Panasonic GF3 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-520 comes with physical dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") accompanied by a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) whilst the Panasonic GF3 has specifications of 108mm x 67mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3") with a weight of 264 grams (0.58 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-520 and Panasonic GF3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at that moment. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the E-520 vs the GF3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-520 and GF3 is 68 and 90 respectively.

Often, it is very tough to picture the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading through technical specs. The picture underneath should give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-520 and GF3.

As you have seen, both of those cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but different megapixels. You can anticipate the Panasonic GF3 to give you extra detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-520 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.