Olympus E-P5 vs Panasonic ZS3

In this write-up, we are comparing the Olympus E-P5 versus Panasonic ZS3, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the image resolutions of the E-P5 (16MP) and ZS3 (10MP) and the E-P5 (Four Thirds) and ZS3 (1/2.3") possess different sensor size.

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The E-P5 was revealed 4 years later than the ZS3 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera.

Before going through a in-depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-P5 scores versus the ZS3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-P5 Gallery and Panasonic ZS3 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P5 has got outer dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 37mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 420 grams (0.93 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS3 has sizing of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-P5 versus Panasonic ZS3 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use during that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the E-P5 vs the ZS3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P5 and ZS3 is 85 and 91 respectively.

Sometimes, it is hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizing only by checking technical specs. The graphic here may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-P5 and ZS3.

As you can tell, the two cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-P5 using its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-P5 will give you extra detail because of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos a little more aggressively. The fresher E-P5 should have a benefit in sensor tech.