Olympus PEN E-PL3 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC GF2 — Which Is Better?

The Olympus PEN E-PL3 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC GF2 are compact mirrorless cameras for the Micro Four Thirds system, so both draw on the same native lens range. The GF2 arrived in 2010, the E-PL3 in 2011. Their bodies are close in size, 110 x 64 x 37 mm for the Olympus and 113 x 68 x 33 mm for the Panasonic, and the GF2 is 3 g lighter at 310 g.

The E-PL3 is the stronger choice for handheld work in dim interiors or evening streets, because it has in-body stabilisation and the GF2 does not. That means any lens you mount on the Olympus body gains steadier framing for static subjects at slow shutter speeds.

For moving subjects the E-PL3 again leads, with 5.5 fps continuous shooting against 2.6 fps and 35 autofocus points against 23. The ISO ranges also differ. The Olympus spans 200 to 12800, the Panasonic 100 to 6400, and the GF2's lower base setting suits wide apertures in daylight. Both use CMOS sensors in the Micro Four Thirds format, at 12.3 and 12.1 megapixels, and share a 1/4000 second top shutter speed.

Full HD is the maximum recording resolution on both cameras, and each offers frame rates up to 60 fps. Neither has a built-in interval timer, so timelapse sequences need external triggering.

The GF2 gives editors more flexibility in file choice, recording in Motion JPG, AVCHD and PAL modes, while the E-PL3 records in AVCHD. If your editing workflow prefers a particular container, the Panasonic's extra options make that decision simpler.

The GF2 is the easier camera for everyday snapshots, pairing a built-in flash with a touch screen for quick settings and focus placement. The E-PL3 has neither, so fill light means carrying an external flash, though both bodies accept one.

The E-PL3 counters with a flip screen, which helps when you frame at waist level or shoot over a crowd. Both offer a 3-inch display with the same 460,000-dot resolution and live view, and neither includes GPS, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so there is no built-in geotagging.

Storage and power choices are the same on both. Both accept SD, SDHC and SDXC cards in a single slot, and both carry a 300-shot battery rating. The batteries differ in type, a BLS-5 in the E-PL3 and a DMW-BLD10 in the GF2, so spares are not interchangeable. Neither charges over USB, so a separate charger is part of the kit.