Olympus E-M1 III vs Panasonic 3D1

On this page, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-M1 III vs Panasonic 3D1, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-M1 III (20MP) and 3D1 (12MP) and the E-M1 III (Four Thirds) and 3D1 (1/2.3") have different sensor measurements.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The E-M1 III was revealed 8 years later than the 3D1 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M1 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic 3D1 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a complete comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-M1 III scores versus the 3D1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 III Gallery and Panasonic 3D1 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera often, you will have to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-M1 III provides outside measurements of 134mm x 91mm x 69mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 580 grams (1.28 lbs) while the Panasonic 3D1 has measurements of 108mm x 58mm x 24mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 0.9") along with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M1 III vs Panasonic 3D1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-M1 III and the 3D1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M1 III and 3D1 is 67 and 93 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to picture the contrast between sensor sizing purely by reading through technical specs. The photograph below may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 III and 3D1.

As you have seen, both of those cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-M1 III having a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-M1 III will give you greater detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more modern E-M1 III should have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.