Olympus FE-4030 vs Olympus E-P3

Below is a in depth comparison of the Olympus FE-4030 vs Olympus E-P3, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are created by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the FE-4030 (14MP) and the E-P3 (12MP) is fairly well matched but the FE-4030 (1/2.3") and E-P3 (Four Thirds) provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The FE-4030 was introduced 19 months prior to the E-P3 making them a generation apart from one another. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-4030 being a Compact camera and the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a short summation of how the FE-4030 matches up vs the E-P3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus FE-4030 and Olympus PEN E-P3. The whole galleries are available at Olympus FE-4030 Gallery and Olympus E-P3 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus FE-4030 features external dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Olympus E-P3 has specifications of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") with a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs).

Compare the Olympus FE-4030 vs Olympus E-P3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at the time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the FE-4030 compared to the E-P3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FE-4030 and E-P3 is 95 and 86 respectively.

Typically, it can be difficult to see the contrast between sensor measurements purely by reading through technical specs. The photograph underneath might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the FE-4030 and E-P3.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FE-4030 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus FE-4030 will resolve more detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images more aggressively. The older FE-4030 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.