Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic S3

Here is a in-depth overview of the Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic S3, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the S3 (14MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and S3 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was unveiled 9 months later than the S3 and they are both of a similar age. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a in-depth comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the E-PL3 grades against the S3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Panasonic S3 Gallery.

If you're going to carry your camera, you'll need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL3 provides exterior 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) whilst the Panasonic S3 has dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") and a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic S3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL3 vs the S3.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and S3 is 88 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to see the gap between sensor sizing simply by reading technical specs. The photograph here may offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and S3.

As you can tell, both cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL3 using its bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic S3 will offer greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The newer E-PL3 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.