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Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3

Portability
89
Imaging
52
Features
63
Overall
56
Olympus PEN E-PM2 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 front
Portability
91
Imaging
34
Features
40
Overall
36

Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 Key Specs

Olympus E-PM2
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 269g - 110 x 64 x 34mm
  • Launched May 2013
  • Succeeded the Olympus E-PM1
Panasonic LX3
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/1.63" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-60mm (F2.0-2.8) lens
  • 265g - 109 x 60 x 27mm
  • Launched November 2008
  • Renewed by Panasonic LX5
Photography Glossary

Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 Overview

Its time to examine more in depth at the Olympus E-PM2 versus Panasonic LX3, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a large gap among the image resolutions of the E-PM2 (16MP) and LX3 (10MP) and the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and LX3 (1/1.63") come with totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM2 was released 4 years later than the LX3 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic LX3 being a Compact camera.

Before going through a full comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the E-PM2 grades vs the LX3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PM2 over the Panasonic LX3

 E-PM2 LX3 
LaunchedMay 2013November 2008More recent by 56 months
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Panasonic LX3 over the Olympus E-PM2

 LX3 E-PM2 

Common features in the Olympus E-PM2 and Panasonic LX3

 E-PM2 LX3 
Focus manually More accurate focusing
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen sizing3"3"Equivalent screen measurement
Screen resolution460k460kSame screen resolution
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen

Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 Physical Comparison

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PM2 features outside measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Panasonic LX3 has proportions of 109mm x 60mm x 27mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PM2 versus Panasonic LX3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached during that time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PM2 vs the LX3.

Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 size comparison

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PM2 and LX3 is 89 and 91 respectively.

Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 Sensor Comparison

Sometimes, it is difficult to envision the difference in sensor measurements simply by researching specs. The graphic underneath will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PM2 and LX3.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PM2 featuring a bigger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus E-PM2 will provide you with more detail as a result of its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The younger E-PM2 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.

Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PM2 Portrait photography highlights
Panasonic LX3 Portrait photography highlights
71
manual focus
sensor resolution is decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
provides face detect focus
delivers RAW files
40
focusing manually
exports RAW formats
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
sensor size is very small (1/1.63")
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-PM2
Street photography with Panasonic LX3
79
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
offers touch to focus
above average high ISO (25,600)
screen is fixed
60
built in image stabilization (Optical)
exports RAW formats
fixed screen
sensor size is very small (1/1.63")
more heavy than competitors (265 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PM2 as a Sports photography camera
Panasonic LX3 as a Sports photography camera
66
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor resolution is decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
provides tracking focus
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
27
built in image stabilization (Optical)
slow fps (3.0 frames/s)
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
sensor size is very small (1/1.63")
does not have phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-PM2 Travel photography details
Panasonic LX3 Travel photography details
66
offers touch to focus
sensor resolution is decent (16 megapixels)
does not have Time Lapse recording
screen isn't selfie friendly
60
has built in flash
quite wide (24mm)
good maximum aperture (f2.0)
doesn't have Timelapse mode
more heavy than competitors (265g)
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PM2 Landscape photography info
Panasonic LX3 Landscape photography info
74
manual focus
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor resolution is decent (16MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
above average high ISO (25,600)
delivers RAW files
does not have Time Lapse recording
52
focusing manually
quite wide (24mm)
good maximum aperture (f2.0)
nice screen size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
exports RAW formats
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sensor resolution low (10MP)
sensor size is very small (1/1.63")
doesn't have Timelapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PM2 Vlogging information
Panasonic LX3 Vlogging information
36
touch screen
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
provides face detect focus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
screen isn't selfie friendly
does not have mic socket
30
quite wide (24mm)
good maximum aperture (f2.0)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
display is not selfie friendly
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pxls)
doesn't have microphone jack
more heavy than competitors (265 grams)
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Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic LX3 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PM2 and Panasonic LX3
 Olympus PEN E-PM2Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3
General Information
Company Olympus Panasonic
Model type Olympus PEN E-PM2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Launched 2013-05-21 2008-11-04
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/1.63"
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 8.07 x 5.56mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 44.9mm²
Sensor resolution 16MP 10MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution 4608 x 3456 3648 x 2736
Highest native ISO 25600 6400
Minimum native ISO 200 80
RAW data
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Total focus points 35 -
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 24-60mm (2.5x)
Maximum aperture - f/2.0-2.8
Macro focusing distance - 1cm
Available lenses 107 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 4.5
Screen
Range of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display size 3 inch 3 inch
Resolution of display 460k dot 460k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 60 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Continuous shooting speed 8.0fps 3.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 7.00 m (bundled FL-LM1) 8.30 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/250 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (HD 24 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30fps), 320 x 240 (10fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video file format MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG -
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 269 grams (0.59 lbs) 265 grams (0.58 lbs)
Dimensions 110 x 64 x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") 109 x 60 x 27mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 72 39
DXO Color Depth rating 22.7 19.6
DXO Dynamic range rating 12.2 10.8
DXO Low light rating 932 94
Other
Battery life 360 shots -
Battery format Battery Pack -
Battery ID BLS-5 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/MMC/SDHC card, Internal
Storage slots Single Single
Pricing at launch $448 $449