Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic ZS200

In this write-up, we are matching up the Olympus E-P3 and Panasonic ZS200, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap between the resolutions of the E-P3 (12MP) and ZS200 (20MP) and the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and ZS200 (1") use different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-P3 was manufactured 7 years prior to the ZS200 which is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a complete comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-P3 scores against the ZS200 with respect 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-ZS200. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-P3 Gallery and Panasonic ZS200 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P3 enjoys external measurements of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") along with a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS200 has dimensions of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") with a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-P3 and Panasonic ZS200 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing during that time. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the E-P3 against the ZS200.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P3 and ZS200 is 86 and 86 respectively.

More often than not, it is very tough to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions merely by looking at specifications. The picture below may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-P3 and ZS200.

Plainly, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-P3 featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic ZS200 will resolve greater detail due to its extra 8MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics far more aggressively. The more aged E-P3 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.