Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic ZS25

Here is a comprehensive review of the Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic ZS25, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and ZS25 (16MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and ZS25 (1/2.3") use different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was manufactured 15 months earlier than the ZS25 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS25 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the E-PL3 matches up vs the ZS25 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Panasonic ZS25 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera regularly, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 features exterior dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS25 has sizing of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic ZS25 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use during that time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the E-PL3 and the ZS25.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and ZS25 is 88 and 93 respectively.

Typically, it can be difficult to picture the contrast in sensor sizing merely by seeing specs. The visual below will help offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL3 and ZS25.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-PL3 because of its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Panasonic ZS25 will provide more detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots far more aggressively. The older E-PL3 will be behind in sensor tech.