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Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic GX9

The Olympus E-3 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2007 and February 2018. The E-3 is a DSLR, while the GX9 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 20.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-3
versus
Panasonic GX9
Olympus E-3   Panasonic GX9
Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
10 MP – Four Thirds sensor 20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200 ISO 200-25,600
Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder (2760k dots)
2.5" LCD – 230k dots 3.0" LCD – 1240k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive) Tilting touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second 9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodynot weather sealed
750 shots per battery charge260 shots per battery charge
142 x 116 x 75 mm, 876 g 124 x 72 x 47 mm, 407 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-3 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9? 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-3 and the Panasonic GX9 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The GX9 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the E-3 is only available in black.

Size Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic GX9
Compare E-3 versus GX9 top
Comparison E-3 or GX9 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic GX9 is considerably smaller (46 percent) than the Olympus E-3. Moreover, the GX9 is substantially lighter (54 percent) than the E-3. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-3 is splash and dust resistant, while the GX9 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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-3) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (GX9). Mirrorless cameras, such as the GX9, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the E-3 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the GX9 can take 260 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 power pack. The power pack in the GX9 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-3 142 mm 116 mm 75 mm 876 g 750 Y Oct 2007 1,699ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic GX9 124 mm 72 mm 47 mm 407 g 260 n Feb 2018 849ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D300 147 mm 114 mm 74 mm 925 g 1000 Y Aug 2007 1,799ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-5 142 mm 117 mm 75 mm 873 g 750 Y Sep 2010 1,699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-600 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 535 g 500 n Aug 2009 449ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-620 130 mm 94 mm 60 mm 521 g 500 n Feb 2009 699ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-30 142 mm 108 mm 75 mm 701 g 750 n Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-420 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 440 g 500 n Mar 2008 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-520 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 535 g 750 n May 2008 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-410 130 mm 91 mm 53 mm 435 g 500 n Mar 2007 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-510 136 mm 92 mm 68 mm 538 g 750 n Mar 2007 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-1 141 mm 104 mm 81 mm 738 g 750 Y Jun 2003 1,699ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic LX100 II 115 mm 66 mm 65 mm 392 g 300 n Aug 2018 999ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic ZS200 111 mm 65 mm 45 mm 340 g 370 n Feb 2018 799 amazon.com
15.
 
Panasonic GX85 122 mm 71 mm 44 mm 426 g 290 n Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
16.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
17.
 
Panasonic GX7 123 mm 71 mm 55 mm 402 g 350 n Aug 2013 999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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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 GX9 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the E-3, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies 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.

Olympus E-3 and Panasonic GX9 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the GX9 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 10 MP of the E-3. This megapixels advantage translates into a 42 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the GX9 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 4.74μm for the E-3). However, it should be noted that the GX9 is much more recent (by 10 years and 4 months) than the E-3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the GX9 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic GX9 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the GX9 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-3 are 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm for good quality, 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm for very good quality, and 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus E-3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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.

E-3 versus GX9 MP

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"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-3 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.610.557156
2.
 
Panasonic GX9 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.112.8116374
3.
 
Nikon D300 APS-C 12.2 4288 2848none22.112.067967
4.
 
Olympus E-5 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.610.551956
5.
 
Olympus E-600 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.510.354155
6.
 
Olympus E-620 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.353655
7.
 
Olympus E-30 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024none21.310.453055
8.
 
Olympus E-420 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.510.452756
9.
 
Olympus E-520 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.410.454855
10.
 
Olympus E-410 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.110.049451
11.
 
Olympus E-510 Four Thirds 10.0 3648 2736none21.210.044252
12.
 
Olympus E-1 Four Thirds 4.9 2560 1920none20.09.7-14544
13.
 
Panasonic LX100 II Four Thirds 16.8 4736 35524K/30p22.812.797972
14.
 
Panasonic ZS200 1-inch 20.0 5472 36484K/30p22.012.244964
15.
 
Panasonic GX85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.912.666271
16.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
17.
 
Panasonic GX7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60p22.612.271870
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The GX9 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-3 does not. The highest resolution format that the GX9 can use is 4K/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the GX9 has an electronic viewfinder (2760k dots), while the E-3 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the GX9 has a higher magnification than the one of the E-3 (0.70x vs 0.58x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-3 and Panasonic GX9 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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-3optical Y2.5 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Panasonic GX92760 n3.0 / 1240 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Nikon D300optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
4.
 
Olympus E-5optical Y3.0 / 920 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-600optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-620optical n2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus E-30optical Y2.7 / 230 swivel n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Olympus E-420optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
9.
 
Olympus E-520optical n2.7 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-410optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Olympus E-510optical n2.5 / 215 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Olympus E-1optical Y1.8 / 134 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n n
13.
 
Panasonic LX100 II2764 n3.0 / 1240 fixed Y 1/4000s 11.0/s n Y
14.
 
Panasonic ZS2002330 n3.0 / 1240 fixed Y 1/2000s 10.0/s Y Y
15.
 
Panasonic GX852765 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
17.
 
Panasonic GX72760 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/8000s 5.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One feature that is present on the E-3, but is missing on the GX9 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The E-3 has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the GX9 does not have a selfie-screen.

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 GX9 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 GX9 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.

The E-3 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the GX9 uses SDXC cards. The E-3 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the GX9 only has one slot.

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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 E-3 and Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-3Y- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Panasonic GX9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
3.
 
Nikon D300Y- / ---mini2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-5Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-600Y- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Olympus E-620Y- / ----2.0---
7.
 
Olympus E-30Y- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-420Y- / ----2.0---
9.
 
Olympus E-520Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-410Y- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-510Y- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Olympus E-1Y- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Panasonic LX100 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
14.
 
Panasonic ZS200-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
15.
 
Panasonic GX85Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
16.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
17.
 
Panasonic GX7Ystereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
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It is notable that the GX9 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-3 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-3 (unlike the GX9) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the E-3 and the GX9 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-3 was replaced by the Olympus E-5, while the GX9 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-3 and GX9 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic GX9 Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus E-3 better than the Panasonic GX9 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Advantages of the Olympus E-3:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 260) on a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in October 2007).

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Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 42%.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p video.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.58x).
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1240k vs 230k dots).
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (124x72mm vs 142x116mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 469g or 54 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 10 years and 4 months of technical progress since the E-3 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the GX9 is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 11 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-3 11:19 GX9

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-3 and the Panasonic GX9 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-3 or the GX9 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-3..88/100..+ +o4/5 Oct 2007 1,699ebay.com
2.
 
Panasonic GX94/5+4/584/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2018 849ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D300..+ +..+ +5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 1,799ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-54/5....75/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2010 1,699ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-600..........4.5/5 Aug 2009 449ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-6203/588/100..72/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2009 699ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-30......71/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2008 1,299ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-420..85/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2008 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-520..87/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 May 2008 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-410..86/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Mar 2007 699ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-510..89/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Mar 2007 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-1......+o.. Jun 2003 1,699ebay.com
13.
 
Panasonic LX100 II4.5/5+4.2/582/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2018 999ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic ZS200..+ +4.5/581/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2018 799 amazon.com
15.
 
Panasonic GX854.5/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
16.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 1,199ebay.com
17.
 
Panasonic GX74/5+..79/1005/55/5 Aug 2013 999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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 use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-3 vs Panasonic GX9

    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 Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-3 Panasonic GX9
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date October 2007 February 2018
    Launch Price USD 1,699 USD 849
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-3 Panasonic GX9
    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 10 Megapixels 20.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3648 x 2736 pixels 5184 x 3888 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.74 μm 3.34 μm
    Pixel Density 4.44 MP/cm2 8.96 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability no Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 3,200 ISO 200 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 100 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic III Venus
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 56 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.6 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.5 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 571 ..
    Screen Specs Olympus E-3 Panasonic GX9
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.58x 0.70x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2760k dots
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.5inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 230k dots 1240k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-3 Panasonic GX9
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 9 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/16000s
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF or XD cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-3 Panasonic GX9
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket no PC Sync
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI micro HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-3 Panasonic GX9
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodynot weather sealed
    Battery Type Olympus BLM-1 Panasonic DMW-BLG10
    Battery Life (CIPA)750 shots per charge260 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 142 x 116 x 75 mm
    (5.6 x 4.6 x 3.0 in)
    124 x 72 x 47 mm
    (4.9 x 2.8 x 1.9 in)
    Camera Weight 876 g (30.9 oz) 407 g (14.4 oz)
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