Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic GH3
The Olympus PEN E-PL3 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2011 and September 2012. Both the E-PL3 and the GH3 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 15.9 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus PEN E-PL3 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparison
The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-PL3 and the Panasonic GH3. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The E-PL3 can be obtained in four different colors (black, silver, red, white), while the GH3 is only available in black.



If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic GH3 is considerably larger (76 percent) than the Olympus E-PL3. Moreover, the GH3 is substantially heavier (76 percent) than the E-PL3. It is noteworthy in this context that the GH3 is splash and dust-proof, while the E-PL3 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.
Concerning battery life, the E-PL3 gets 300 shots out of its Olympus BLS-5 battery, while the GH3 can take 540 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLF19 power pack.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

| Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-PL3 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 37 mm | 313 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Panasonic GH3 | 133 mm | 93 mm | 82 mm | 550 g | 540 | Y | Sep 2012 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
| 3. | Olympus E-M1 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 63 mm | 497 g | 350 | Y | Sep 2013 | US$ 1 399 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Olympus E-M5 II | 124 mm | 85 mm | 45 mm | 469 g | 310 | Y | Feb 2015 | US$ 1 099 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Olympus E-P2 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Nov 2009 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Olympus E-P3 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 34 mm | 369 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Olympus E-PL1 | 115 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 334 g | 290 | n | Feb 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Olympus E-PL2 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 362 g | 280 | n | Jan 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Olympus E-PL5 | 111 mm | 64 mm | 38 mm | 325 g | 360 | n | Sep 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PM1 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 34 mm | 265 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PM2 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 34 mm | 269 g | 360 | n | Sep 2012 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Panasonic G5 | 120 mm | 83 mm | 71 mm | 396 g | 320 | n | Jul 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF2 | 113 mm | 68 mm | 33 mm | 310 g | 300 | n | Nov 2010 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
| 14. | Panasonic GF3 | 108 mm | 67 mm | 32 mm | 264 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
| 15. | Panasonic GF5 | 108 mm | 67 mm | 37 mm | 267 g | 360 | n | Apr 2012 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 16. | Panasonic GH2 | 124 mm | 90 mm | 76 mm | 442 g | 330 | n | Sep 2010 | US$ 899 | ebay.com | |
| 17. | Panasonic GH4 | 133 mm | 93 mm | 84 mm | 560 g | 500 | Y | Feb 2014 | US$ 1 499 | ebay.com | |
| Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-PL3 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 54 percent) than the GH3, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.
Sensor comparison
The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the GH3 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12.2 MP of the E-PL3. This megapixels advantage translates into a 14 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the GH3 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 4.29μm for the E-PL3). However, it should be noted that the GH3 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 2 months) than the E-PL3, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.
The resolution advantage of the Panasonic GH3 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the GH3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-PL3 are 20.2 x 15.1 inches or 51.2 x 38.4 cm for good quality, 16.1 x 12.1 inches or 41 x 30.7 cm for very good quality, and 13.4 x 10.1 inches or 34.1 x 25.6 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Olympus PEN E-PL3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 are ISO 200 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 125-25600.
Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the GH3 offers substantially better image quality than the E-PL3 (overall score 19 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.8 bits higher color depth, 2.1 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.7 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-PL3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.9 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
| 2. | Panasonic GH3 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 22.7 | 12.4 | 812 | 71 | |
| 3. | Olympus E-M1 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.0 | 12.7 | 757 | 73 | |
| 4. | Olympus E-M5 II | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 23.0 | 12.5 | 842 | 73 | |
| 5. | Olympus E-P2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.4 | 505 | 56 | |
| 6. | Olympus E-P3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.8 | 10.1 | 536 | 51 | |
| 7. | Olympus E-PL1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.1 | 487 | 54 | |
| 8. | Olympus E-PL2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.2 | 573 | 55 | |
| 9. | Olympus E-PL5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 889 | 72 | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PM1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 21.0 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PM2 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.7 | 12.2 | 932 | 72 | |
| 12. | Panasonic G5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 21.4 | 11.6 | 618 | 61 | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF2 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60i | 21.2 | 10.3 | 506 | 54 | |
| 14. | Panasonic GF3 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60i | 20.6 | 10.1 | 459 | 50 | |
| 15. | Panasonic GF5 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60i | 20.5 | 10.0 | 573 | 50 | |
| 16. | Panasonic GH2 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 21.2 | 11.3 | 655 | 60 | |
| 17. | Panasonic GH4 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.2 | 12.8 | 791 | 74 |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the GH3 provides a faster frame rate than the E-PL3. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/60i.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the GH3 has an electronic viewfinder (1746k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL3 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PL3 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-2. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-PL3, the Panasonic GH3, and comparable cameras.

| Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-PL3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
| 2. | Panasonic GH3 | 1746 | n | 3.0 / 614 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
| 3. | Olympus E-M1 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 4. | Olympus E-M5 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 5. | Olympus E-P2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
| 6. | Olympus E-P3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 614 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 7. | Olympus E-PL1 | optional | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 8. | Olympus E-PL2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 9. | Olympus E-PL5 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PM1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PM2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
| 12. | Panasonic G5 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 920 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 2.6/s | Y | n | |
| 14. | Panasonic GF3 | none | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.2/s | Y | n | |
| 15. | Panasonic GF5 | none | n | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
| 16. | Panasonic GH2 | 1534 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 17. | Panasonic GH4 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 1036 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | n | |
| Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. | |||||||||||
One feature that differentiates the E-PL3 and the GH3 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-PL3 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the GH3 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.
Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the GH3 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).
The Panasonic GH3 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-PL3 and the GH3 write their files to SDXC cards. The GH3 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the E-PL3 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.
Connectivity comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

| Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-PL3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 2. | Panasonic GH3 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 3. | Olympus E-M1 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 4. | Olympus E-M5 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
| 5. | Olympus E-P2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 6. | Olympus E-P3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 7. | Olympus E-PL1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 8. | Olympus E-PL2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 9. | Olympus E-PL5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PM1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PM2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 12. | Panasonic G5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 14. | Panasonic GF3 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 15. | Panasonic GF5 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 16. | Panasonic GH2 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 17. | Panasonic GH4 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the GH3 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-PL3 does not provide wifi capability.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Panasonic GH3 (unlike the E-PL3) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the E-PL3 and the GH3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-PL3 was replaced by the Olympus E-PL5, while the GH3 was followed by the Panasonic GH4. Further information on the features and operation of the E-PL3 and GH3 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-PL3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic GH3 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-PL3 and the Panasonic GH3? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus PEN E-PL3:
- More compact: Is smaller (110x64mm vs 133x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 237g or 43 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (54 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in June 2011).

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (15.9 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 14%.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (19 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.8 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (2.1 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.7 stops ISO advantage).
- Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
- Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (614k vs 460k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (540 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
- Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
- Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
- More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 2 months) more recently.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GH3 is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-PL3 and the Panasonic GH3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-PL3 or the GH3. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.
Expert reviews
This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

| Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-PL3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Panasonic GH3 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
| 3. | Olympus E-M1 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2013 | US$ 1 399 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Olympus E-M5 II | 5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 81/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2015 | US$ 1 099 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Olympus E-P2 | 3/5 | + | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2009 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Olympus E-P3 | .. | 83/100 | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Olympus E-PL1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Olympus E-PL2 | 3/5 | 83/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Olympus E-PL5 | 3/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PM1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PM2 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 77/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Panasonic G5 | 3/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF2 | 3/5 | 82/100 | .. | 70/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2010 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
| 14. | Panasonic GF3 | 3/5 | 82/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
| 15. | Panasonic GF5 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2012 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 16. | Panasonic GH2 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2010 | US$ 899 | ebay.com | |
| 17. | Panasonic GH4 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 85/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2014 | US$ 1 499 | ebay.com | |
| Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. | |||||||||||
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
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Specifications: Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic GH3
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
| Camera Model | Olympus E-PL3 | Panasonic GH3 |
|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Mirrorless system camera |
| Camera Lens | Micro Four Thirds lenses | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
| Launch Date | June 2011 | September 2012 |
| Launch Price | USD 599 | USD 1,299 |
| Sensor Specs | Olympus E-PL3 | Panasonic GH3 |
| Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
| Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
| Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
| Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 21.6 mm |
| Crop Factor | 2.0x | 2.0x |
| Sensor Resolution | 12.2 Megapixels | 15.9 Megapixels |
| Image Resolution | 4032 x 3024 pixels | 4608 x 3456 pixels |
| Pixel Pitch | 4.29 μm | 3.76 μm |
| Pixel Density | 5.42 MP/cm2 | 7.08 MP/cm2 |
| Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
| Movie Capability | 1080/60i Video | 1080/60p Video |
| ISO Setting | 200 - 12,800 ISO | 200 - 12,800 ISO |
| ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 125 - 25,600 ISO |
| Image Processor | Truepic VI | Venus VII FHD |
| DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 52 | 71 |
| DXO Color Depth (bits) | 20.9 | 22.7 |
| DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.3 | 12.4 |
| DXO Low Light (ISO) | 499 | 812 |
| Screen Specs | Olympus E-PL3 | Panasonic GH3 |
| Viewfinder Type | Viewfinder optional | Electronic viewfinder |
| Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.67x | |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 1746k dots | |
| LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
| Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
| LCD Resolution | 460k dots | 614k dots |
| LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Swivel screen |
| Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
| Shooting Specs | Olympus E-PL3 | Panasonic GH3 |
| Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
| Continuous Shooting | 5.5 shutter flaps/s | 6 shutter flaps/s |
| Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | YES |
| Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
| Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | Lens stabilization only |
| Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | Built-in Flash |
| Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
| Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
| UHS card support | no | UHS-I |
| Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-PL3 | Panasonic GH3 |
| External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
| Studio Flash | no PC Sync | PC Sync socket |
| USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| HDMI Port | mini HDMI | mini HDMI |
| Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
| Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
| Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
| Body Specs | Olympus E-PL3 | Panasonic GH3 |
| Environmental Sealing | not weather sealed | Weathersealed body |
| Battery Type | Olympus BLS-5 | Panasonic DMW-BLF19 |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 300 shots per charge | 540 shots per charge |
| Body Dimensions |
110 x 64 x 37 mm (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.5 in) |
133 x 93 x 82 mm (5.2 x 3.7 x 3.2 in) |
| Camera Weight | 313 g (11.0 oz) | 550 g (19.4 oz) |

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