Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FH3

Following is a extended assessment of the Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FH3, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the FH3 (14MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and FH3 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL2 was introduced 14 months after the FH3 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a short summary of how the E-PL2 grades against the FH3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Panasonic FH3 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera often, you will have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL2 features physical dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) and the Panasonic FH3 has sizing of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FH3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you use at that time. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the E-PL2 against the FH3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL2 and FH3 is 85 and 94 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to envision the gap in sensor sizes only by seeing a spec sheet. The pic here may provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL2 and FH3.

As you can see, both cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL2 having a bigger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic FH3 will produce more detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more recent E-PL2 will have an edge with regard to sensor technology.