Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic TS2

Let's take a deeper look at the Olympus E-PL3 and Panasonic TS2, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Waterproof by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the TS2 (14MP) is relatively well matched but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and TS2 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was announced 21 months after the TS2 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic TS2 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a thorough comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the E-PL3 scores versus the TS2 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Panasonic TS2 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera regularly, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL3 comes with 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) while the Panasonic TS2 has measurements of 99mm x 63mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.5" x 0.9") having a weight of 188 grams (0.41 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL3 and Panasonic TS2 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at the time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL3 against the TS2.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL3 and TS2 is 88 and 93 respectively.

Typically, its tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading through specs. The image below may offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL3 and TS2.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL3 using its bigger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic TS2 will give extra detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures more aggressively. The fresher E-PL3 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.