Olympus E-PM2 vs Panasonic S3

Below is a in depth overview of the Olympus E-PM2 versus Panasonic S3, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the E-PM2 (16MP) and the S3 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and S3 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM2 was brought out 2 years later than the S3 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera.

Before we go right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the E-PM2 scores vs the S3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery & Panasonic S3 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PM2 features exterior dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S3 has sizing of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PM2 versus Panasonic S3 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the E-PM2 compared to the S3.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PM2 and S3 is 89 and 96 respectively.

Usually, its difficult to see the contrast in sensor measurements merely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic here should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM2 and S3.

As you can see, both cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PM2 due to its larger sensor will make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Olympus E-PM2 will render extra detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images way more aggressively. The more modern E-PM2 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.