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Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3

Portability
95
Imaging
35
Features
20
Overall
29
Olympus FE-5020 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 front
Portability
83
Imaging
51
Features
62
Overall
55

Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 Key Specs

Olympus FE-5020
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Display
  • ISO 64 - 1600
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 24-120mm (F3.3-5.8) lens
  • 137g - 93 x 56 x 25mm
  • Launched July 2009
  • Additionally Known as X-935
Panasonic G3
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 160 - 6400
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 336g - 115 x 84 x 47mm
  • Announced July 2011
  • Earlier Model is Panasonic G2
  • Replacement is Panasonic G5
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Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 Overview

Its time to look much closer at the Olympus FE-5020 and Panasonic G3, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a noticeable gap between the resolutions of the FE-5020 (12MP) and G3 (16MP) and the FE-5020 (1/2.3") and G3 (Four Thirds) feature totally different sensor measurements.

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The FE-5020 was launched 23 months before the G3 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus FE-5020 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic G3 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving through a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief summation of how the FE-5020 scores vs the G3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus FE-5020 over the Panasonic G3

 FE-5020 G3 

Reasons to pick Panasonic G3 over the Olympus FE-5020

 G3 FE-5020 
AnnouncedJuly 2011July 2009More recent by 23 months
Manually focus More precise focusing
Display typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating display
Display dimension3"2.7"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution460k230kCrisper display (+230k dot)
Selfie screen Easy selfies
Touch display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus FE-5020 and Panasonic G3

 FE-5020 G3 

Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus FE-5020 has got physical dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 137 grams (0.30 lbs) and the Panasonic G3 has proportions of 115mm x 84mm x 47mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 1.9") along with a weight of 336 grams (0.74 lbs).

Compare the Olympus FE-5020 and Panasonic G3 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use at that time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the FE-5020 versus the G3.

Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FE-5020 and G3 is 95 and 83 respectively.

Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 top view buttons comparison

Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 Sensor Comparison

Sometimes, it's hard to envision the gap between sensor measurements only by reviewing technical specs. The graphic underneath might offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FE-5020 and G3.

As you can tell, both of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FE-5020 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic G3 will offer more detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The older FE-5020 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.

Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 sensor size comparison

Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus FE-5020 Portrait photography info
Panasonic G3 Portrait photography info
21
focusing manually not possible
no manual mode
external flash not possible
low resolution sensor (12MP)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
70
focusing manually
MP count good (16MP)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers face detect focusing
saves RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Olympus FE-5020 Street photography advice
Panasonic G3 Street photography advice
60
environment proofing
lighter than competitors (137g)
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
75
screen articulates fully
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
boasts focus via touch
lack of image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Olympus FE-5020
Sports photography with Panasonic G3
24
environment proofing
low max shutter speed (1/500s)
no shutter priority
does not have image stabilization
low resolution sensor (12 megapixels)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
46
MP count good (16MP)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
offers tracking focus
slow continuous shooting (4.0 fps)
lack of image stabilization
not so great battery (270 shots)
has no phase detect AF
Photography Glossary

Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus FE-5020
Travel photography with Panasonic G3
65
lighter than competitors (137g)
environment proofing
built-in flash
reasonably wide (24mm)
no Timelapse recording
low resolution sensor (12MP)
screen is not selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
70
boasts focus via touch
MP count good (16MP)
has built in flash
display is selfie friendly
lack of Timelapse recording
not so great battery (270 per charge)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus FE-5020 Landscape photography features
Panasonic G3 Landscape photography features
31
reasonably wide (24mm)
environment proofing
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
tiny screen (2.7")
no manual mode
does not have image stabilization
low resolution sensor (12MP)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
no Timelapse recording
62
focusing manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3")
MP count good (16 megapixels)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
lack of image stabilization
not so great battery (270 shots)
lack of Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus FE-5020 as a Vlogging camera
Panasonic G3 as a Vlogging camera
28
reasonably wide (24mm)
lighter than competitors (137g)
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
screen is not selfie friendly
does not have image stabilization
low res video (640 x 480 pxls)
no external microphone port
70
display is selfie friendly
screen is touchscreen
offers face detect focusing
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lack of image stabilization
lack of microphone socket
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Olympus FE-5020 vs Panasonic G3 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus FE-5020 and Panasonic G3
 Olympus FE-5020Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3
General Information
Brand Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus FE-5020 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3
Also Known as X-935 -
Category Small Sensor Compact Entry-Level Mirrorless
Launched 2009-07-22 2011-07-11
Physical type Compact SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic III Venus Engine FHD
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" Four Thirds
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 17.3 x 13mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 224.9mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Maximum resolution 3968 x 2976 4592 x 3448
Maximum native ISO 1600 6400
Min native ISO 64 160
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Total focus points - 23
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens Micro Four Thirds
Lens zoom range 24-120mm (5.0x) -
Max aperture f/3.3-5.8 -
Macro focusing range 1cm -
Total lenses - 107
Focal length multiplier 5.8 2.1
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fully Articulated
Display sizing 2.7" 3"
Resolution of display 230 thousand dots 460 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Display tech - TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Electronic
Viewfinder resolution - 1,440 thousand dots
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.7x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 4s 60s
Maximum shutter speed 1/500s 1/4000s
Continuous shooting rate - 4.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 4.10 m 11.00 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Fill-in Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize - 1/160s
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60fps) 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30fps), 320 x 240 (30fps))
Maximum video resolution 640x480 1920x1080
Video file format Motion JPEG AVCHD, Motion JPEG
Microphone port
Headphone port
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 sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 137g (0.30 lb) 336g (0.74 lb)
Dimensions 93 x 56 x 25mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") 115 x 84 x 47mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 1.9")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested 56
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 21.0
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 10.6
DXO Low light rating not tested 667
Other
Battery life - 270 photographs
Battery type - Battery Pack
Battery ID LI-42B -
Self timer Yes (12 seconds) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type xD-Picture Card, microSD SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots 1 1
Retail cost $160 $500