Olympus SH-3 vs Panasonic GX8

Here, we are contrasting the Olympus SH-3 versus Panasonic GX8, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. The image resolution of the SH-3 (16MP) and the GX8 (20MP) is fairly well matched but the SH-3 (1/2.3") and GX8 (Four Thirds) provide different sensor dimensions.

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The SH-3 was brought out 7 months after the GX8 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic GX8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a concise summation of how the SH-3 grades vs the GX8 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus Stylus SH-3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus SH-3 Gallery & Panasonic GX8 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus SH-3 provides physical dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) while the Panasonic GX8 has proportions of 133mm x 78mm x 63mm (5.2" x 3.1" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 487 grams (1.07 lbs).

See the Olympus SH-3 versus Panasonic GX8 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you select at the time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the SH-3 against the GX8.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the SH-3 and GX8 is 88 and 74 respectively.

Usually, it can be hard to visualize the difference between sensor sizes simply by checking specs. The image here should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-3 and GX8.

All in all, the 2 cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SH-3 due to its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field harder and the Panasonic GX8 will give you extra detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The younger SH-3 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.