Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic FH3

Following is a extensive analysis of the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic FH3, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the FH3 (14MP) is very comparable but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and FH3 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was launched 21 months after the FH3 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a detailed comparison, below is a short overview of how the E-PL3 matches up against the FH3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Panasonic FH3 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 enjoys outside dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) while the Panasonic FH3 has sizing of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic FH3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have at that moment. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the FH3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and FH3 is 88 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to picture the gap in sensor sizes just by seeing technical specs. The image below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL3 and FH3.

As you have seen, both of those cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL3 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic FH3 will provide extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images a little more aggressively. The more modern E-PL3 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.