Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic FS12

Lets take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic FS12, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the FS12 (12MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and FS12 (1/2.3") enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL3 was released 2 years after the FS12 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FS12 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-PL3 matches up against the FS12 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Panasonic FS12 Gallery.

If you're going to travel with your camera regularly, you should think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL3 enjoys outer measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) and the Panasonic FS12 has proportions of 97mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 129 grams (0.28 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic FS12 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilising at the time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL3 vs the FS12.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and FS12 is 88 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, its tough to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by seeing a spec sheet. The image here might offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL3 and FS12.

Clearly, the 2 cameras posses the exact same megapixel count albeit different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 has the bigger sensor which will make getting shallower depth of field easier. The more recent E-PL3 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.