Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic TS30

Below is a extended analysis of the Olympus E-P3 versus Panasonic TS30, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Waterproof by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There is a huge difference between the resolutions of the E-P3 (12MP) and TS30 (16MP) and the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and TS30 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-P3 was introduced 4 years earlier than the TS30 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic TS30 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-P3 scores versus the TS30 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS30. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-P3 Gallery and Panasonic TS30 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you should consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P3 comes with physical dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") with a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) and the Panasonic TS30 has dimensions of 104mm x 58mm x 20mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-P3 versus Panasonic TS30 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the E-P3 against the TS30.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P3 and TS30 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Often, it can be hard to visualise the gap between sensor measurements simply by going over specs. The photograph below will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P3 and TS30.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-P3 using its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic TS30 will deliver greater detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos way more aggressively. The older E-P3 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.