Olympus E-PM1 vs Panasonic SZ3

Lets look much closer at the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic SZ3, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There is a considerable difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and SZ3 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and SZ3 (1/2.3") come with different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PM1 was manufactured 13 months earlier than the SZ3 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic SZ3 being a Compact camera.

Before going through a complete comparison, below is a quick view of how the E-PM1 grades versus the SZ3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ3. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Panasonic SZ3 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera often, you should consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 features external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Panasonic SZ3 has dimensions of 95mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PM1 and Panasonic SZ3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-PM1 and the SZ3.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and SZ3 is 89 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to visualize the difference in sensor sizes simply by checking out specs. The image underneath will provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PM1 and SZ3.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PM1 because of its bigger sensor is going to make shooting bokeh simpler and the Panasonic SZ3 will show more detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more aged E-PM1 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.