Olympus 7010 vs Panasonic GH3

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus 7010 versus Panasonic GH3, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a huge gap between the sensor resolutions of the 7010 (12MP) and GH3 (16MP) and the 7010 (1/2.3") and GH3 (Four Thirds) feature totally different sensor measurements.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The 7010 was released 4 years before the GH3 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus 7010 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GH3 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a thorough comparison, below is a concise overview of how the 7010 scores vs the GH3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus Stylus 7010 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3. The complete galleries are available at Olympus 7010 Gallery and Panasonic GH3 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus 7010 enjoys physical measurements of 98mm x 56mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs) while the Panasonic GH3 has proportions of 133mm x 93mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.2") and a weight of 550 grams (1.21 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus 7010 versus Panasonic GH3 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the 7010 vs the GH3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the 7010 and GH3 is 94 and 66 respectively.

Normally, its difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizing only by checking a spec sheet. The photograph here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the 7010 and GH3.

Clearly, each of these cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The 7010 because of its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Panasonic GH3 will give you extra detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older 7010 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.