Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic F5

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Olympus E-P3 and Panasonic F5, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-P3 (12MP) and the F5 (14MP) is pretty similar but the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and F5 (1/2.3") feature different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-P3 was revealed 16 months prior to the F5 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic F5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple summation of how the E-P3 matches up versus the F5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-P3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-P3 Gallery & Panasonic F5 Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-P3 provides outer dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") and a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) and the Panasonic F5 has specifications of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-P3 and Panasonic F5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have during that time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the E-P3 vs the F5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-P3 and F5 is 86 and 96 respectively.

Generally, it is tough to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions only by going over a spec sheet. The image here will offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P3 and F5.

Clearly, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-P3 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic F5 will offer extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots far more aggressively. The more aged E-P3 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.