Olympus FE-4000 vs Panasonic S3
95 Imaging
34 Features
17 Overall
27


96 Imaging
37 Features
24 Overall
31
Olympus FE-4000 vs Panasonic S3 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 1600
- 640 x 480 video
- 26-105mm (F2.6-5.9) lens
- 136g - 95 x 57 x 22mm
- Introduced July 2009
- Also Known as X-925
(Full Review)
- 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 6400
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1280 x 720 video
- 28-112mm (F3.1-5.6) lens
- 117g - 99 x 59 x 21mm
- Revealed January 2011

Olympus FE-4000 vs Panasonic S3 Overview
Below is a complete comparison of the Olympus FE-4000 versus Panasonic S3, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the FE-4000 (12MP) and the S3 (14MP) is pretty comparable and both cameras posses the identical sensor size (1/2.3").

The FE-4000 was brought out 17 months prior to the S3 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras feature the same body design (Compact).
Before we go right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the FE-4000 grades vs the S3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Olympus FE-4000 vs Panasonic S3 Gallery
Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus FE-4000 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus FE-4000 Gallery & Panasonic S3 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Olympus FE-4000 over the Panasonic S3
FE-4000 | S3 |
---|
Reasons to pick Panasonic S3 over the Olympus FE-4000
S3 | FE-4000 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Revealed | January 2011 | ![]() | July 2009 | More recent by 17 months |
Common features in the Olympus FE-4000 and Panasonic S3
FE-4000 | S3 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Manually focus | ![]() | Lack of manual focusing | ||
Screen type | Fixed | ![]() | Fixed | Fixed screen |
Screen size | 2.7" | ![]() | 2.7" | Same screen size |
Screen resolution | 230k | ![]() | 230k | The same screen resolution |
Selfie screen | ![]() | Lack of selfie screen | ||
Touch screen | ![]() | Lack of Touch screen |
Olympus FE-4000 vs Panasonic S3 Physical Comparison
If you are intending to lug around your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and size. The Olympus FE-4000 offers external measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S3 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).
Take a look at the Olympus FE-4000 versus Panasonic S3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the FE-4000 against the S3.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FE-4000 and S3 is 95 and 96 respectively.

Olympus FE-4000 vs Panasonic S3 Sensor Comparison
Normally, it's tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements simply by going through specifications. The visual here should give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the FE-4000 and S3.
To sum up, both the cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different resolution. You can expect the Panasonic S3 to produce more detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures way more aggressively. The older FE-4000 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.

Olympus FE-4000 vs Panasonic S3 Screen and ViewFinder


Photography Type Scores
Portrait Comparison

Street Comparison

Sports Comparison

Travel Comparison

Landscape Comparison

Vlogging Comparison

Olympus FE-4000 vs Panasonic S3 Specifications
Olympus FE-4000 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 | |
---|---|---|
General Information | ||
Manufacturer | Olympus | Panasonic |
Model type | Olympus FE-4000 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 |
Also referred to as | X-925 | - |
Class | Small Sensor Compact | Small Sensor Compact |
Introduced | 2009-07-22 | 2011-01-05 |
Body design | Compact | Compact |
Sensor Information | ||
Powered by | TruePic III | Venus Engine IV |
Sensor type | CCD | CCD |
Sensor size | 1/2.3" | 1/2.3" |
Sensor measurements | 6.17 x 4.55mm | 6.08 x 4.56mm |
Sensor surface area | 28.1mm² | 27.7mm² |
Sensor resolution | 12 megapixel | 14 megapixel |
Anti alias filter | ||
Aspect ratio | 4:3 | 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 |
Maximum resolution | 3968 x 2976 | 4320 x 3240 |
Maximum native ISO | 1600 | 6400 |
Lowest native ISO | 100 | 100 |
RAW files | ||
Autofocusing | ||
Manual focusing | ||
Autofocus touch | ||
Autofocus continuous | ||
Autofocus single | ||
Autofocus tracking | ||
Autofocus selectice | ||
Center weighted autofocus | ||
Multi area autofocus | ||
Live view autofocus | ||
Face detect autofocus | ||
Contract detect autofocus | ||
Phase detect autofocus | ||
Total focus points | - | 11 |
Lens | ||
Lens support | fixed lens | fixed lens |
Lens zoom range | 26-105mm (4.0x) | 28-112mm (4.0x) |
Maximal aperture | f/2.6-5.9 | f/3.1-5.6 |
Macro focusing range | 3cm | 5cm |
Focal length multiplier | 5.8 | 5.9 |
Screen | ||
Display type | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
Display size | 2.7" | 2.7" |
Resolution of display | 230k dot | 230k dot |
Selfie friendly | ||
Liveview | ||
Touch functionality | ||
Display tech | - | TFT LCD |
Viewfinder Information | ||
Viewfinder | None | None |
Features | ||
Lowest shutter speed | 4 seconds | 8 seconds |
Highest shutter speed | 1/2000 seconds | 1/1600 seconds |
Continuous shooting speed | - | 2.0 frames/s |
Shutter priority | ||
Aperture priority | ||
Manual exposure | ||
Change white balance | ||
Image stabilization | ||
Built-in flash | ||
Flash distance | 4.00 m | 3.30 m |
Flash modes | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Fill-in | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction |
External flash | ||
AE bracketing | ||
WB bracketing | ||
Exposure | ||
Multisegment | ||
Average | ||
Spot | ||
Partial | ||
AF area | ||
Center weighted | ||
Video features | ||
Supported video resolutions | 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps) | 1280 x 720 (30fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) |
Maximum video resolution | 640x480 | 1280x720 |
Video data format | Motion JPEG | MPEG-4 |
Microphone input | ||
Headphone input | ||
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 proofing | ||
Dust proofing | ||
Shock proofing | ||
Crush proofing | ||
Freeze proofing | ||
Weight | 136 gr (0.30 lbs) | 117 gr (0.26 lbs) |
Physical dimensions | 95 x 57 x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") | 99 x 59 x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") |
DXO scores | ||
DXO All around rating | not tested | not tested |
DXO Color Depth rating | not tested | not tested |
DXO Dynamic range rating | not tested | not tested |
DXO Low light rating | not tested | not tested |
Other | ||
Battery life | - | 250 images |
Form of battery | - | Battery Pack |
Self timer | Yes (12 seconds) | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
Time lapse feature | ||
Storage media | xD Picture Card, microSD Card, Internal | SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal |
Storage slots | One | One |
Retail pricing | $130 | $110 |