Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic S1

The following is a complete comparison of the Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic S1, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the E-P3 (12MP) and S1 (24MP) and the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and S1 (Full frame) have different sensor sizes.

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The E-P3 was released 8 years before the S1 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-P3 scores vs the S1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P3 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S1. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-P3 Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you will have to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-P3 features physical measurements of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") having a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) while the Panasonic S1 has specifications of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") having a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic S1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use at that time. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-P3 against the S1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P3 and S1 is 86 and 54 respectively.

Generally, its tough to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions just by going through specs. The picture here will help give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P3 and S1.

As you can plainly see, both cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-P3 because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh trickier and the Panasonic S1 will provide more detail as a result of its extra 12MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-P3 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.