Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic TS5

Its time to take a deeper look at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic TS5, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Waterproof by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and TS5 (16MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and TS5 (1/2.3") have different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was launched 22 months before the TS5 making them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic TS5 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a brief summation of how the E-PL3 grades against the TS5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Panasonic TS5 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 features 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) whilst the Panasonic TS5 has sizing of 110mm x 67mm x 29mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.1") along with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic TS5 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using at that moment. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the E-PL3 versus the TS5.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and TS5 is 88 and 91 respectively.

Generally, its hard to imagine the contrast between sensor measurements only by looking at technical specs. The photograph below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL3 and TS5.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL3 due to its larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic TS5 will give extra detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will let you crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The older E-PL3 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.