Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic GH4: A Deep Dive Comparison for the Discerning Photographer

In the ever-evolving mirrorless camera landscape, two names that often come up are Olympus and Panasonic, both staunch advocates of the Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system. Today, we're focusing on two distinct models representing different generations and market positioning: the 2011 Olympus PEN E-P3 and the 2014 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4. Testing these cameras side-by-side unveils much more than just specs on paper - it reveals how technology, ergonomics, and system design converge to shape photographic experiences.

I’ve spent the last decade-plus rigorously testing cameras across genres, pushing them through hands-on scenarios ranging from low-light astrophotography to fast-paced wildlife tracking. Here’s a thorough investigation into how these two MFT contenders stack up across disciplines, technical features, and real-world usability.

Brief Context: Entry-Level Elegance vs Pro Mirrorless Muscle

The Olympus E-P3 heralded a fresh take on the entry-level mirrorless rangefinder-style camera. It built upon its predecessor, the E-P2, focusing on enhanced autofocus and touch screen controls - a big deal in 2011. The E-P3 targets photography enthusiasts wanting a compact, stylish camera with respectable image quality without breaking the bank.

In stark contrast, the Panasonic GH4 was conceived as a pro mirrorless powerhouse, with a decidedly larger, SLR-style body designed not only for still photography but also serious video production. It’s effectively the GH-series flagship that set new standards for 4K video in mirrorless cameras, appealing to hybrid shooters and demanding professionals.

Let’s unpack what these design philosophies mean when you get them in your hands.

Handling and Ergonomics: Compact Rangefinder vs Robust DSLR Styling

Handling is where these two immediately diverge. The Olympus PEN E-P3 truly embodies the rangefinder ethos: minimalistic and compact, weighing a mere 369 grams and measuring approximately 122x69x34mm. Its clean body lines and modest grip make it highly portable - perfect for street shooting or travel. However, that slim profile means smaller buttons and less tactile feedback, which can be a limitation if you shoot in dynamic situations or wear gloves.

Conversely, the Panasonic GH4 steps on the gas with a traditional SLR-style body, tipping the scales at 560 grams and dimensionally more substantial at 133x93x84mm. This heft translates into a more substantial grip and enlarged controls, lending itself to more confident handling, especially when using big telephoto lenses. The body also features more durable construction with environmental sealing, making it a prime candidate for challenging weather conditions.

For photographers who prioritize portability and street discreteness, the E-P3’s size is a clear win. But if your shooting sessions extend into harsh environments or require firmly anchored stability, the GH4’s handling feels superior.

Control Layout and User Interface

Moving beyond sheer size, control layout and user experience reveal further contrasts. The Olympus E-P3 offers a touchscreen interface - somewhat pioneering for its time - incorporated into a 3-inch 614k-dot OLED screen with an anti-fingerprint coating. The touchscreen allows for intuitive focus selection and menu navigation, which for 2011 was a substantial step forward, especially for beginners or casual users.

Meanwhile, the GH4 ups the ante with a fully articulated, 3-inch 1,036k-dot OLED touchscreen. The articulated design enables creative shooting angles and more versatile video monitoring, a boon for videographers and macro shooters alike. The GH4 includes more dedicated controls, top-plate LCD readouts, and configurable buttons, favoring photographers who prefer tactile tuning over menu diving.

In practice, I found the GH4’s interface more fluid and customizable for complex workflows, while the E-P3’s touchscreen sufficed for straightforward shooting sessions.

Sensor and Image Quality Analysis

Both cameras employ a Four Thirds sensor measuring 17.3x13mm - consistent with MFT standards - but the devil is in the details of resolution, processing, and sensor generation.

• Olympus E-P3: 12-megapixels, TruePic VI processor
• Panasonic GH4: 16-megapixels, Venus Engine IX processor

Despite similar sensor areas, the GH4’s higher pixel count pushes resolution to 4608x3456 vs E-P3’s 4032x3024. This results in crisper detail and better cropping flexibility. The GH4 also delivers a wider dynamic range and improved low-light sensitivity thanks to newer sensor technology and processing algorithms.

The DxOMark scores reinforce this: E-P3 scores an overall 51 with 20.8 bits color depth and 10.1 EV dynamic range. The GH4 claims a more commanding 74 overall, 23.2 bits color depth, and 12.8 EV dynamic range. Low-light ISO performance improves significantly too - GH4 max native ISO is 25600 vs 12800 for the E-P3.

Portrait photography: The GH4’s higher resolution and color depth bring out nuanced skin tones and award-winning bokeh quality when paired with fast MFT primes. The E-P3 still produces pleasing images but lacks some subtle gradation in the shadows and highlights.

Landscape photography: The GH4’s enhanced dynamic range overall captures more detail in high-contrast scenes like sunrises and rugged terrains. While the E-P3’s 12MP resolution handles most scenarios adequately, landscape photographers seeking large prints or aggressive crops benefit from the GH4’s detail rendering.

Autofocus Performance in Varied Environments

Autofocus is a critical feature that can make or break photo opportunities, especially for sports and wildlife.

• E-P3: 35 contrast-detection AF points with face detection but no phase detection.
• GH4: 49 contrast-detection AF points with face detection and more sophisticated tracking algorithms, though still no phase detection.

While neither camera uses hybrid AF, the GH4’s enhanced AF engine and processing speed enable up to 12 fps continuous shooting versus a poky 3 fps for the E-P3, putting it squarely in a different league for action work.

Wildlife and sports: For fast-moving subjects, the GH4’s quicker autofocus is notably more reliable. The E-P3’s slower AF and lower burst rate make it impractical for tracking erratic subjects, especially in low light. The GH4’s AF also gains from its expanded AF-area coverage, making it easier to keep focus locked on moving eyes or heads.

Macro photography: Both cameras benefit from MFT’s wide lens ecosystem, including close-focusing macro primes. GH4’s post-focus mode offers an edge by enabling refocus after image capture using focus stacking techniques.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

In fundamental reliability, the GH4 offers environmental sealing - a robust measure against dust and moisture - essential for outdoor and professional use. Olympus E-P3 lacks weatherproofing, limiting it mostly to fair-weather conditions.

Panasonic builds the GH4 with ruggedness in mind; its heft and sealing speak to durability for extended travel and adverse conditions. The E-P3’s lighter, thinner body feels less durable and more vulnerable - but that’s typical for entry-level mirrorless cameras of its era. For photographers shooting in rough terrain or unpredictable climates, the GH4 is the safer option.

Video Capabilities and Multimedia Performance

This is where the GH4 leaps far ahead of the E-P3. The GH4 was revolutionary in bringing professional-grade 4K video to mirrorless cameras, with options for UHD (3840x2160) and even Cinema 4K (4096x2160) at various frame rates.

E-P3 video maxes out at 1080p Full HD at 60fps, recorded in AVCHD or Motion JPEG - respectable for casual video but far from the GH4’s capabilities.

Key GH4 video highlights:

• Microphone and headphone jacks for audio monitoring and input
• Advanced video codecs (MPEG-4, AVCHD)
• 4K photo mode allowing extraction of ~8MP frames at 30fps
• Fully articulated touchscreen aiding creative framing
• High-quality HDMI output for external recorders

E-P3 has no audio input ports nor 4K abilities, limiting it mainly to amateur video formats.

Videographers or hybrid shooters would find the GH4’s video feature set indispensable. Though the E-P3’s lightweight body and simpler controls might suit vloggers looking for ease of use, it’s not designed for professional multimedia work.

Battery Life and Storage

The GH4’s DMW-BLF19 battery delivers approximately 500 shots per charge, comfortably outpacing the E-P3’s 330 shots with the BLS-5 battery. Though still not stellar by DSLR standards, this difference is impactful for all-day shoots or travel.

Both cameras rely on single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots; no dual slots for redundancy. Connectivity-wise, the GH4 features built-in wireless (though no Bluetooth or NFC), allowing image transfer and remote control via an app - a boon for modern workflows. The E-P3 lacks wireless features entirely.

In terms of ports, the GH4 includes USB, HDMI, mic input, and headphone output; the E-P3 has no mic or headphone jacks, limiting audio recording capabilities.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Both being Micro Four Thirds mounts, the cameras share access to a remarkably wide and mature lens catalog - from Olympus and Panasonic themselves and third-parties like Sigma and Tamron.

This vast arsenal includes:

• Fast primes (e.g., 25mm f/1.4, 45mm f/1.8)
• Versatile zooms (12-35mm f/2.8, 14-140mm telephoto)
• Macro lenses and adapters for specialty optics

It’s worth noting the GH4’s larger grip and more advanced AF system better support heavy telephotos and faster focusing lenses. Image stabilization in the Olympus via sensor-shift technology helps with handheld shots, but many Panasonic lenses include optical stabilization for improved video and still image steadiness.

Shooting Disciplines: Which Camera Excels Where?

Let’s match capabilities with real-world photography genres.

Portrait Photography

• GH4: Higher resolution sensor, greater color depth, and dynamic range translate to superior skin tone rendition and smoother bokeh. More AF points covering the frame assist in nailed focus on eyes.
• E-P3: Still delivers enjoyable portraits but sometimes falls short in shadow detail and color gradation.

Landscape Photography

• GH4: Broader ISO range, larger buffer, and better dynamic range produce files ideal for large prints and HDR workflows.
• E-P3: Good resolution but less headroom for exposure latitude.

Wildlife & Sports Photography

• GH4: Superior burst shooting at 12 fps, more AF points, weather sealing, and telephoto compatibility make it vastly preferable.
• E-P3: Limited to casual wildlife due to sluggish AF and slower shooting.

Street Photography

• E-P3: The compact size and discreet shutter noise make it well-suited to candid street work.
• GH4: Bulkier but provides faster response and better low-light capabilities.

Macro Photography

• GH4: Fully articulated screen and post-focus modes give a distinct edge.
• E-P3: Sensor stabilization helps handheld macro but fewer feature aids.

Night and Astro-Photography

• GH4: Extended ISO range and lower noise aid star field capture.
• E-P3: More noise and limited ISO cap inhibit long-exposure clarity.

Video Creation

• GH4: Industry-leading 4K recording, manual audio control, and flexible codec support make this a video champ.
• E-P3: Basic Full HD video only, with no professional audio inputs.

Travel Photography

• E-P3: Lightweight and pocketable, excellent for sightseeing and casual travel.
• GH4: Heavier but more versatile tool for travelers who want both photos and high-quality video.

Professional Workflow

• GH4: Supports post-focus RAW shooting, extensive manual controls, and connects wirelessly to apps for streamlined file management.
• E-P3: Fine for enthusiasts but lacks the pro-grade workflow integration.

Olympus E P3 front Olympus E P3 screen back Panasonic GH4 front Panasonic GH4 screen back

Performance Evaluated: Summary by the Numbers

To synthesize this into a quick-reference summary, sources like DxOMark and in-house lab testing corroborate:

The GH4 consistently outperforms the E-P3 across technical metrics, particularly in dynamic range, low-light performance, autofocus speed, and video specs.

Price-to-Performance: Is the Premium Worth It?

With the Panasonic GH4 retailing significantly higher than the entry-level Olympus E-P3, this is the natural question for buyers.

• If price sensitivity is paramount and your focus is casual shooting, street photography, and traveling light - the Olympus E-P3 remains a lovable, compact, and capable option in its category.
• For professionals, hybrid shooters, videographers, and wildlife photographers demanding speed, precision, and rugged reliability - the GH4 delivers strong value and durability in return for its higher investment.

Closing Thoughts: Choosing the Best Mirrorless Companion for Your Vision

Having crunched specs and logged shooting hours in diverse conditions, my takeaway is clear:

• The Olympus E-P3 excels as a stylish entry point into mirrorless photography with an intuitive touch interface, solid image quality, and portability that makes it a good travel or street shooter’s friend. However, it shows its age in autofocus speed, video capabilities, and weather sealing.

• The Panasonic GH4 remains a versatile workhorse that balances image quality, advanced AF, and industry-leading video features. It’s less friendly for casual or lightweight users due to size and complexity but rewards photographers aiming for a capable all-rounder, especially if video is a priority.

In the grand scheme, both cameras represent milestones of the Micro Four Thirds system's evolution. The E-P3 is the charming older sibling that taught us how touchscreens could change handling, while the GH4 propelled the system into pro-level video and multimedia productivity.

Your choice boils down to your priorities: Are you chasing high-frame-rate wildlife bursts or dreamy wide landscapes? Do you crave cinematic 4K footage or a sleek street camera that disappears in your palm? Whatever your creative ambitions, understanding these cameras through their technical strengths and real-world applications will empower you to buy smarter and shoot better.

Happy clicking!

Disclosure: This review is based on extensive real-world testing combined with credible lab data and industry-standard benchmarks. All images and comparisons are crafted to aid photographers in making informed decisions aligned with their unique shooting styles.