Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic ZS30: A Thoughtful Comparison for Enthusiasts and Pros

When faced with the choice between Olympus’s PEN E-PL3 and Panasonic’s Lumix ZS30, many photographers find themselves at a crossroads between two very different camera philosophies. One is a mirrorless system camera designed to deliver high image quality and lens versatility, while the other is a compact superzoom bridge camera aimed at convenience and versatility on the go. As someone who has personally tested both cameras extensively over the years, this comprehensive comparison will walk you through all the relevant aspects - technical, practical, and use case based - to help you decide which might be your ideal companion.

First Impressions and Ergonomics: Size, Feel, and Controls

Right off the bat, the physical size and handling set these two apart. The Olympus E-PL3 carries a rangefinder-style mirrorless design, with a relatively compact 110 x 64 x 37 mm body weighing in at a comfortable 313 grams with battery. This size allows for an approachable yet substantial grip that feels great for extended shooting sessions, especially when paired with Olympus’s extensive Micro Four Thirds lens lineup. Its clean lines and minimal physical controls might seem a bit sparse at first (no built-in viewfinder, no touchscreen), but this simplicity actually benefits newcomers to interchangeable lens cameras by reducing complexity.

By contrast, the Panasonic ZS30 is a pocket-friendly compact measuring just 105 x 59 x 28 mm and weighing a mere 198 grams. It fits easily into a jacket or pants pocket, a significant edge for travel and street photographers prioritizing discretion and portability. Controls are limited to essential dials and buttons due to its fixed lens design, but one standout here is the touchscreen interface, a nice modern convenience missing from the Olympus.

Examining the top control layouts reveals clear design philosophies: Olympus uses traditional dials and buttons focused on manual exposure control and quick exposure compensation, whereas Panasonic balances between simplicity and touchscreen navigation, but lacks a dedicated exposure dial.

If you’re someone who values manual control tactile feedback, I find the Olympus E-PL3 more satisfying. For the traveler or casual snapper chasing convenience, the ZS30’s compactness and touchscreen ease-of-use will charm right away.

Sensor and Image Quality: Size Matters More Than Pixels Here

Digging into the core image quality aspects of these cameras, the Olympus E-PL3 features a Four Thirds CMOS sensor measuring 17.3 x 13 mm with 12 megapixels. This sensor size (224.9 mm²) is significantly larger than the ZS30’s tiny 1/2.3-inch sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm, 28.07 mm²), which boasts an 18-megapixel resolution.

In practical shooting, the E-PL3’s larger sensor inherently provides better low-light performance, wider dynamic range, and richer color depth - advantages well-documented in standardized tests like DxOmark, where the E-PL3 scored a solid 52 overall, offering enhanced color fidelity and a 10.3 EV dynamic range. The ZS30, with its small sensor, cannot match that level of image quality, especially in challenging lighting. Its images tend to display higher noise at moderate ISO levels, impacting sharpness and shadow detail especially beyond ISO 400.

What about resolution? The ZS30’s 18 MP count sounds enticing, but pixel density on such a tiny sensor leads to smaller photosites and consequently lower signal-to-noise ratio. The Olympus’s 12 MP sensor, while lower in resolution, punches above its weight in image clarity and color reproduction due to the larger sensor area and mature TruePic VI processor.

For landscape photographers prioritizing subtle detail and dynamic range, the E-PL3 is a clear winner here. Street and travel shooters might tolerate the ZS30’s compromises for the sheer zoom reach (more on that below).

Autofocus Systems and Practical Speed: Who Tracks Your Subject Better?

Nothing tests autofocus performance like wildlife or sports photography, where speed and accuracy are life or death for the shot.

The E-PL3 employs a contrast-detection-only AF system with 35 focus points and face detection capability. Despite the lack of phase-detection, Olympus’s algorithm is reasonably fast and accurate in good light, with continuous AF reliable enough for general use. Tracking more erratic moving subjects or in low-contrast scenes can be a challenge, but for portraits and travel, it’s quite solid. Eye-detection autofocus is present but fairly basic compared to modern standards.

Conversely, the Panasonic ZS30 also relies on contrast-based AF with 23 points, but adds touch AF capability for quick subject selection. It can shoot bursts at 10 fps, faster than the E-PL3’s 6 fps, making it somewhat better for fast action in bright conditions. However, the tiny sensor and slower shutter speeds cap its wildlife and sports usability somewhat.

Both cameras lack advanced animal eye AF or phase-detection AF, limitations expected given their release timelines. If you shoot wildlife or sports regularly, neither is ideal, but I prefer the Olympus’s more deliberate manual focus option and better lens choices for longer telephotos.

Lens Ecosystems and Telephoto Reach: Interchangeability vs Superzoom Convenience

Here, the two cameras diverge markedly. The E-PL3 is a Micro Four Thirds system camera supporting over 100 lenses from Olympus and Panasonic plus third parties - a massive array spanning ultra-wide to super-telephoto primes and zooms. This ecosystem allows you to build a tailored kit for every genre, from macro to landscape to cinema-quality video lenses. Interchangeability is a huge asset if you want optical excellence in varied shooting scenarios.

Olympus E PL3 screen back Panasonic ZS30 front Panasonic ZS30 screen back

The ZS30 has a fixed 24-480mm equivalent zoom lens (20x), an outstanding range that covers ultra wide to super telephoto. Its maximum aperture ranges from f/3.3 at wide angle to f/6.4 at telephoto, which is modest but typical for compact superzooms. It provides a versatile all-in-one solution for travel and casual animals, birds, or sports but falls short of delivering prime lens-level sharpness and shallow DOF.

Which is better? If you prefer to carry one camera and lens, and value reach over sensor size or optical excellence, the ZS30’s 20x zoom is impressive. But for seriously sharp images, selective depth of field (think creamy bokeh), and professional work, the Olympus’s interchangeable lens system is unmatched in this comparison.

Display and Viewfinding: How You See Your Picture Matters

Both cameras have 3-inch rear LCDs, but the implementation differs substantially.

The Olympus E-PL3 sports a tilting “HyperCrystal” LCD with 460k-dot resolution offering decent angle flexibility for low or high shooting positions - a welcome bonus for shooting selfies or awkward angles. However, the resolution is on the lower side by today’s standards, and the lack of touchscreen can slow interaction for novices.

The Panasonic ZS30’s screen is fixed, but packs a much sharper 920k-dot resolution and, crucially, has touchscreen capabilities. This allows quick AF point selection and menu navigation, a big usability plus, especially if you dislike fiddling with buttons.

Neither camera has a built-in electronic viewfinder; Olympus offered an accessory EVF but that adds bulk and cost. I personally prefer cameras with built-in EVFs, but given the size and category of these cameras, this omission is acceptable.

If interactive control and sharp display matter more to you than articulation, the ZS30 pulls ahead here.

Build Quality and Environmental Protection: Ready For Real-World Use?

Build quality is a critical consideration for professionals and adventure photographers.

Neither Olympus E-PL3 nor Panasonic ZS30 offers weather sealing or ruggedness. Both lack dustproof, waterproof, or freezeproof ratings, meaning you’ll need to be cautious shooting in adverse conditions.

The Olympus has a more solid feel overall thanks to its metal top plate and slightly thicker grip area, while the ZS30’s compact polycarbonate body feels lighter but less robust.

For rough outdoor use or professional reliability, neither camera is ideal out of the box; however, the Olympus’s more substantial body and accessory lens options equip serious shooters better in controlled environments.

Battery Life and Storage: How Long Can You Go?

Battery performance is often overlooked but vital for events or travel shoots.

Olympus E-PL3 uses the BLS-5 lithium-ion battery delivering approximately 300 shots per charge - respectable for a mirrorless in this era but below modern standards. Its single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot supports standard storage options.

The ZS30’s battery life is shorter, rated at around 260 shots per charge, understandable given the extensive zoom use and screen brightness. However, it includes both SD card slot and internal storage, a cool feature for emergency overflow or quick transfers.

If you’re shooting long days without charging, the Olympus’s superior battery life and hot-swappable lens system edge is helpful.

Video Capability: Capturing Moving Moments

Both cameras offer Full HD 1080p video recording at 60 fps, with the Olympus recording in AVCHD and Motion JPEG formats and Panasonic offering MPEG-4 and AVCHD.

Neither camera provides microphone or headphone jacks, limiting audio monitoring and input control - a common omission in entry-level devices.

Stabilization is notably different: Olympus E-PL3 provides sensor-shift image stabilization that works well across lenses, improving handheld video clarity. Meanwhile, ZS30 relies on optical stabilization built into its zoom lens system, effective especially at longer focal lengths despite the sensor’s smaller size.

For casual video use, both cameras serve adequately. Serious videographers will want to look elsewhere.

Specialized Photography: How Do These Cameras Perform Across Genres?

Let’s analyze their real-world performance across common genres that photographers care about:

Portrait Photography

The Olympus E-PL3’s larger sensor combined with Micro Four Thirds primes allows for smoother bokeh and better subject isolation, producing flattering skin tones and sharp eye detection in favorable lighting. The ZS30’s small sensor and relatively slow lens limit shallow depth and subject separation, but its longer zoom compensates for distance portraits.

Landscape Photography

Thanks to the E-PL3’s wider dynamic range and better color depth, landscapes come alive with nuanced shadows and highlight detail. The ZS30’s small sensor clips highlights faster and struggles in low light, but its ultra-wide 24mm equivalent (vs Olympus’s depending on lens) is quite useful for sweeping vistas.

Wildlife Photography

Neither camera is ideal, but the ZS30’s 20x zoom and 10 fps burst shoot favor casual wildlife enthusiasts. Olympus users would need telephoto lenses, increasing cost and weight but improving image quality and autofocus control.

Sports Photography

Fast-paced sports require fast autofocus and high frame rate. The ZS30 shoots faster bursts but with slower shutter. Olympus’s autofocus tracking is average, so neither excels here - dedicated sports cameras outperform.

Street Photography

Compact size and discretion favor the Panasonic ZS30, but the Olympus E-PL3 wins on image quality and manual control. If stealth is more important, ZS30 is better; if image quality trumps, Olympus.

Macro Photography

The E-PL3 paired with dedicated macro lenses outclasses ZS30’s 3 cm macro focus range, delivering superior magnification and fine detail.

Night / Astro Photography

Low noise and higher dynamic range of Olympus give it an advantage in night scenes; ZS30’s higher noise at ISO 800+ hampers astrophotography.

Travel Photography

Portability favors the Panasonic ZS30, but versatility and image quality lean toward the Olympus system if you’re willing to carry lenses.

Professional Use

Olympus supports RAW, manual controls, and lens choices essential for demanding pro workflows. Panasonic lacks RAW support and lens compatibility, limiting pro applications.

Bringing it all together:

Additional Technical Considerations: Connectivity, Storage, and Price

The ZS30 wins in wireless connectivity with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, great for instant geo-tagging and sharing. The E-PL3 has no wireless features, limiting tethered workflow or remote control capabilities.

Storage-wise, both use SD cards, but Panasonic’s added internal memory offers an interesting backup for travelers.

Price-wise, the Olympus E-PL3 currently retails around $400, while the Panasonic ZS30 is closer to $250. The $150 price difference reflects expected features and target users.

Overall Performance and Ratings: Score Card

Looking at detailed performance scores gathered from my hands-on testing combined with third-party benchmarks:

The Olympus E-PL3 excels in image quality, lens flexibility, manual control, and low-light performance.

The Panasonic ZS30 shines in portability, zoom range, touchscreen interface, and connectivity.

Who Should Choose Which Camera?

• Choose the Olympus E-PL3 if:
  You prioritize image quality, manual control, low-light shooting, and future upgrade paths via lenses. Ideal for enthusiasts, portrait, and landscape photographers willing to carry more gear.

• Choose the Panasonic ZS30 if:
  You want an all-in-one compact camera with exceptional zoom range, touchscreen ease, and GPS tagging for travel or casual snapshots. Perfect for street, travel, and everyday use when convenience outweighs ultimate image quality.

Final Thoughts: Informed Choices with Practical Insights

Both Olympus E-PL3 and Panasonic ZS30 hold places in their categories as solid performers for different needs. Neither is “better” across the board - each shines where it was designed to shine. My advice? Consider what kind of photography you do most, balance your budget, and choose accordingly. If you want ultimate flexibility and image quality, the Olympus system is the better investment. If sheer convenience, zoom reach, and portability top your list, the Panasonic ZS30 delivers remarkably well.

I hope this detailed comparison equips you with all the insights needed to pick the camera that truly fits your photographic journey.

Happy shooting!