Olympus E-M10 II vs Panasonic ZR3

Here is a detailed assessment of the Olympus E-M10 II and Panasonic ZR3, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-M10 II (16MP) and the ZR3 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-M10 II (Four Thirds) and ZR3 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-M10 II was announced 5 years later than the ZR3 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-M10 II being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-M10 II grades vs the ZR3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M10 II & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-M10 II Gallery & Panasonic ZR3 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera often, you will want to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M10 II features outside dimensions of 120mm x 83mm x 47mm (4.7" x 3.3" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 390 grams (0.86 lbs) and the Panasonic ZR3 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M10 II and Panasonic ZR3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-M10 II and the ZR3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M10 II and ZR3 is 82 and 94 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizing just by researching specifications. The visual below should provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M10 II and ZR3.

To sum up, both of those cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-M10 II using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-M10 II will provide you with more detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics much more aggressively. The newer E-M10 II provides an edge when it comes to sensor technology.