Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic ZR1

On this page, we are matching up the Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic ZR1, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-P3 (12MP) and the ZR1 (12MP) is fairly close but the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and ZR1 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-P3 was brought out 2 years later than the ZR1 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short overview of how the E-P3 scores against the ZR1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-P3 Gallery & Panasonic ZR1 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera, you'll have to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-P3 has outside dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) while the Panasonic ZR1 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-P3 vs Panasonic ZR1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the E-P3 against the ZR1.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the E-P3 and ZR1 is 86 and 94 respectively.

Usually, it can be hard to see the gap in sensor measurements only by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic here should give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P3 and ZR1.

As you can see, both the cameras provide the same resolution but not the same sensor measurements. The E-P3 comes with the larger sensor which should make obtaining shallower depth of field simpler. The newer E-P3 will have an edge in sensor innovation.