Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic TS3

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus E-P1 and Panasonic TS3, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Waterproof by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the TS3 (12MP) is fairly comparable but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and TS3 (1/2.3") provide different sensor dimensions.

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The E-P1 was announced 24 months prior to the TS3 making them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic TS3 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief summary of how the E-P1 grades versus the TS3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P1 Gallery & Panasonic TS3 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera, you'll have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-P1 provides exterior measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") along with a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) whilst the Panasonic TS3 has specifications of 103mm x 64mm x 27mm (4.1" x 2.5" x 1.1") along with a weight of 197 grams (0.43 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-P1 and Panasonic TS3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the E-P1 versus the TS3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-P1 and TS3 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizes simply by going through specs. The pic below will help give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-P1 and TS3.

As you can plainly see, both cameras provide the same megapixels but different sensor sizes. The E-P1 includes the larger sensor which is going to make achieving shallower depth of field simpler. The more aged E-P1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.