Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic LZ30

Its time to look more closely at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic LZ30, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a large gap between the resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and LZ30 (16MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and LZ30 (1/2.3") boast different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL3 was released 15 months prior to the LZ30 which makes them a generation apart from one another. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LZ30 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the E-PL3 grades against the LZ30 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Panasonic LZ30 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL3 enjoys exterior measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) and the Panasonic LZ30 has dimensions of 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6") with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic LZ30 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose during that time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL3 vs the LZ30.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and LZ30 is 88 and 66 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to picture the contrast between sensor measurements merely by looking at a spec sheet. The photograph below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL3 and LZ30.

Clearly, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL3 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF less difficult and the Panasonic LZ30 will give you more detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots way more aggressively. The older E-PL3 is going to be behind in sensor tech.