Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic ZS3

Lets examine more closely at the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic ZS3, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-P1 (12MP) and the ZS3 (10MP) is very well matched but the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and ZS3 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-P1 was released 3 months later than the ZS3 so they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short view of how the E-P1 grades vs the ZS3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-P1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS3 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-P1 has physical measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS3 has specifications of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic ZS3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilising at that moment. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-P1 compared to the ZS3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-P1 and ZS3 is 86 and 91 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to envision the difference between sensor sizing only by checking specs. The photograph here will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P1 and ZS3.

All in all, both of those cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-P1 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF simpler and the Olympus E-P1 will give you more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively.