Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic FP2

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-PL3 and Panasonic FP2, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the FP2 (14MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and FP2 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL3 was released 21 months after the FP2 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FP2 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving into a detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the E-PL3 matches up versus the FP2 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP2. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Panasonic FP2 Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera, you should factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL3 features outside dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FP2 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL3 and Panasonic FP2 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the FP2.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL3 and FP2 is 88 and 95 respectively.

Typically, it is very hard to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions just by going through technical specs. The image underneath will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL3 and FP2.

As you can tell, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 due to its bigger sensor will make getting bokeh easier and the Panasonic FP2 will provide extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures way more aggressively. The newer E-PL3 will have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.