Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic TS20

In this article, we are looking at the Olympus E-P3 and Panasonic TS20, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Waterproof by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a noticeable difference among the resolutions of the E-P3 (12MP) and TS20 (16MP) and the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and TS20 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizing.

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The E-P3 was revealed 5 months before the TS20 and they are both of a similar age. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic TS20 being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a thorough comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-P3 scores against the TS20 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS20. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-P3 Gallery & Panasonic TS20 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-P3 comes with outside 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) while the Panasonic TS20 has proportions of 101mm x 58mm x 19mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-P3 and Panasonic TS20 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you use at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-P3 and the TS20.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P3 and TS20 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to visualize the difference in sensor measurements only by going through a spec sheet. The photograph here may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P3 and TS20.

As you can see, both of those cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-P3 having a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic TS20 will show extra detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively.