Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic ZS10

Following is a in-depth overview of the Olympus E-PL3 and Panasonic ZS10, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the ZS10 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and ZS10 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL3 was released 8 months after the ZS10 so they are of a similar generation. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS10 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a thorough comparison, here is a brief summation of how the E-PL3 matches up against the ZS10 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Panasonic ZS10 Gallery.

When you are going to carry around your camera, you will want to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL3 has physical dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS10 has specifications of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") having a weight of 219 grams (0.48 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL3 and Panasonic ZS10 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL3 versus the ZS10.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and ZS10 is 88 and 91 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes only by looking at technical specs. The picture here will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL3 and ZS10.

As you have seen, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL3 due to its larger sensor will make getting bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic ZS10 will give you more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The fresher E-PL3 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.