Olympus E-PL2 vs Panasonic FP3

Below, we are contrasting the Olympus E-PL2 versus Panasonic FP3, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Ultracompact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the FP3 (14MP) is very comparable but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and FP3 (1/2.3") possess different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL2 was manufactured 14 months later than the FP3 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FP3 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the E-PL2 grades against the FP3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery & Panasonic FP3 Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL2 has got outside dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") along with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) while the Panasonic FP3 has sizing of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") along with a weight of 155 grams (0.34 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL2 versus Panasonic FP3 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have chosen during that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL2 compared to the FP3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL2 and FP3 is 85 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to picture the gap in sensor measurements only by checking out specifications. The graphic underneath will provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL2 and FP3.

To sum up, the two cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL2 because of its larger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic FP3 will provide more detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will let you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The newer E-PL2 provides an advantage in sensor innovation.