Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic FZ35

In this article, we will be looking at the Olympus E-PL3 and Panasonic FZ35, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the FZ35 (12MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and FZ35 (1/2.3") possess different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL3 was released 15 months after the FZ35 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FZ35 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-PL3 scores versus the FZ35 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Panasonic FZ35 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 features outer dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ35 has sizing of 118mm x 76mm x 89mm (4.6" x 3.0" x 3.5") with a weight of 397 grams (0.88 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL3 and Panasonic FZ35 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using at the time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the FZ35.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and FZ35 is 88 and 72 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizes merely by checking out a spec sheet. The pic below might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL3 and FZ35.

Clearly, both the cameras enjoy the same exact megapixel count albeit different sensor sizes. The E-PL3 provides the bigger sensor which should make getting bokeh simpler. The more recent E-PL3 provides an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.