Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic GX1

Below is a extended review of the Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic GX1, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and GX1 (16MP) but they feature the exact same sensor size (Four Thirds).

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The E-PL3 was launched 4 months earlier than the GX1 so they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras come with the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before diving through a complete comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-PL3 matches up versus the GX1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Panasonic GX1 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL3 offers exterior 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) while the Panasonic GX1 has measurements of 116mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") and a weight of 318 grams (0.70 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic GX1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PL3 and the GX1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and GX1 is 88 and 87 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements simply by researching specs. The visual below may give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL3 and GX1.

All in all, both the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Panasonic GX1 to provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively.