Olympus E-PL7 vs Panasonic S3

On this page, we will be matching up the Olympus E-PL7 and Panasonic S3, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL7 (16MP) and the S3 (14MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL7 (Four Thirds) and S3 (1/2.3") posses different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL7 was unveiled 3 years later than the S3 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-PL7 matches up against the S3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL7 Gallery and Panasonic S3 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you should factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL7 features physical dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") having a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S3 has sizing of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL7 and Panasonic S3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that moment. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL7 vs the S3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL7 and S3 is 86 and 96 respectively.

More often than not, it is very hard to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing simply by reading a spec sheet. The visual underneath may offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL7 and S3.

As you can see, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL7 having a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-PL7 will deliver greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop shots more aggressively. The younger E-PL7 provides an advantage in sensor innovation.