Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic FP3

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic FP3, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the FP3 (14MP) is pretty similar but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and FP3 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-M1 was launched 3 years later than the FP3 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FP3 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting in to a in-depth comparison, below is a concise view of how the E-M1 matches up versus the FP3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Panasonic FP3 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M1 has outer measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FP3 has sizing of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") having a weight of 155 grams (0.34 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M1 and Panasonic FP3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you choose at the time. Following is the front view dimension comparison of the E-M1 and the FP3.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and FP3 is 71 and 95 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to envision the contrast between sensor sizing merely by reviewing specs. The graphic here will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-M1 and FP3.

All in all, each of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-M1 featuring a bigger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-M1 will deliver greater detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The younger E-M1 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.