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Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3

Portability
68
Imaging
45
Features
45
Overall
45
Olympus E-520 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 front
Portability
94
Imaging
36
Features
26
Overall
32

Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 Key Specs

Olympus E-520
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 552g - 136 x 92 x 68mm
  • Introduced August 2008
  • Old Model is Olympus E-510
Panasonic ZR3
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-200mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 159g - 98 x 55 x 26mm
  • Launched January 2010
  • Additionally Known as Lumix DMC-ZX3
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Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 Overview

Below is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus E-520 versus Panasonic ZR3, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-520 (10MP) and ZR3 (14MP) and the E-520 (Four Thirds) and ZR3 (1/2.3") possess different sensor size.

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The E-520 was unveiled 17 months prior to the ZR3 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a brief view of how the E-520 scores versus the ZR3 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-520 over the Panasonic ZR3

 E-520 ZR3 
Focus manually More precise focus

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZR3 over the Olympus E-520

 ZR3 E-520 
LaunchedJanuary 2010August 2008More recent by 17 months

Common features in the Olympus E-520 and Panasonic ZR3

 E-520 ZR3 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen sizing2.7"2.7"Equivalent screen size
Screen resolution230k230kExact same screen resolution
Selfie screen Neither offers selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Neither offers Touch friendly screen

Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 Physical Comparison

When you are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-520 offers external dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) and the Panasonic ZR3 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-520 versus Panasonic ZR3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select during that time. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the E-520 versus the ZR3.

Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-520 and ZR3 is 68 and 94 respectively.

Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it is very difficult to imagine the difference in sensor measurements merely by researching specs. The graphic below will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-520 and ZR3.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-520 with its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic ZR3 will result in greater detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older E-520 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-520 Portrait photography factors
Panasonic ZR3 Portrait photography factors
59
focusing manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
provides face detection focusing
supports RAW files
low megapixels (10MP)
28
MP count decent (14 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
no manual exposure
can't use external flash
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-520 as a Street photography camera
Panasonic ZR3 as a Street photography camera
65
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
no articulating screen
56
built in image stabilization (Optical)
no moving screen
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-520 as a Sports photography camera
Panasonic ZR3 as a Sports photography camera
55
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
better than average battery pack (650 per charge)
sensor has phase detect AF
slow continuous shooting (4.0 frames/s)
low megapixels (10MP)
36
built in image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (14 megapixels)
features tracking autofocus
maximum shutter speed is a little low (1/1,300 seconds)
continuous shooting slow (2.0 frames per second)
no shutter priority mode
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-520 Travel photography info
Panasonic ZR3 Travel photography info
52
better than average battery pack (650 per charge)
built-in flash
lack of Time Lapse recording
low megapixels (10MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
64
MP count decent (14MP)
has built in flash
reasonably wide (25mm)
no Timelapse mode
screen isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-520 Landscape photography info
Panasonic ZR3 Landscape photography info
58
focusing manually
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
better than average battery pack (650 per charge)
screen is small (2.7")
low megapixels (10 megapixels)
lack of Time Lapse recording
37
reasonably wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (14MP)
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
tiny screen (2.7 inches)
no manual exposure
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
no Timelapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-520 Vlogging info
Panasonic ZR3 Vlogging info
9
lack of video recording
29
reasonably wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
screen isn't selfie friendly
video resolution low (1280 x 720 pixels)
no external microphone port
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Olympus E-520 vs Panasonic ZR3 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-520 and Panasonic ZR3
 Olympus E-520Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3
General Information
Make Olympus Panasonic
Model Olympus E-520 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3
Also Known as - Lumix DMC-ZX3
Class Entry-Level DSLR Small Sensor Compact
Introduced 2008-08-20 2010-01-26
Body design Compact SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Chip - Venus Engine HD II
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 10MP 14MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 3648 x 2736 4320 x 3240
Maximum native ISO 1600 6400
Lowest native ISO 100 80
RAW files
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 3 11
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 25-200mm (8.0x)
Maximal aperture - f/3.3-5.9
Macro focus distance - 3cm
Amount of lenses 45 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 5.9
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen size 2.7 inch 2.7 inch
Screen resolution 230 thousand dot 230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) None
Viewfinder coverage 95% -
Viewfinder magnification 0.46x -
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60s 60s
Highest shutter speed 1/4000s 1/1300s
Continuous shooting speed 4.0fps 2.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 12.00 m (at ISO 100) 5.30 m
Flash settings Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/180s -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions - 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution None 1280x720
Video format - AVCHD Lite
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 552g (1.22 pounds) 159g (0.35 pounds)
Dimensions 136 x 92 x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") 98 x 55 x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around score 55 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 21.4 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 10.4 not tested
DXO Low light score 548 not tested
Other
Battery life 650 photographs -
Style of battery Battery Pack -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots One One
Launch pricing $400 $280