Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic ZS30

Following is a extended analysis of the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic ZS30, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a significant difference between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and ZS30 (18MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and ZS30 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL3 was revealed 15 months before the ZS30 making them a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a detailed comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the E-PL3 grades against the ZS30 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 provides physical measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS30 has sizing of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL3 versus Panasonic ZS30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising at that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL3 versus the ZS30.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and ZS30 is 88 and 92 respectively.

Usually, its tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizes only by going over a spec sheet. The picture underneath will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and ZS30.

As you can see, both of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL3 using its larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic ZS30 will offer you extra detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The more aged E-PL3 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.