Olympus E-PL8 vs Panasonic ZR3

Its time to look closer at the Olympus E-PL8 versus Panasonic ZR3, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Olympus and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the ZR3 (14MP) is fairly similar but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and ZR3 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL8 was revealed 6 years later than the ZR3 and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise view of how the E-PL8 scores against the ZR3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Panasonic ZR3 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL8 enjoys outside measurements of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) and the Panasonic ZR3 has sizing of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL8 versus Panasonic ZR3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you select during that time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL8 compared to the ZR3.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL8 and ZR3 is 86 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to imagine the difference between sensor sizing just by reading specifications. The photograph below should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL8 and ZR3.

To sum up, both cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The E-PL8 having a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PL8 will offer more detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The younger E-PL8 provides an advantage with regard to sensor tech.