Canon M3 vs Olympus E-PL7

Here, we are evaluating the Canon M3 and Olympus E-PL7, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by competitors Canon and Olympus. There exists a big gap among the sensor resolutions of the M3 (24MP) and E-PL7 (16MP) and the M3 (APS-C) and E-PL7 (Four Thirds) offer different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The M3 was announced 6 months later than the E-PL7 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras feature the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short summary of how the M3 matches up against the E-PL7 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon EOS M3 and Olympus PEN E-PL7. The whole galleries are available at Canon M3 Gallery and Olympus E-PL7 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera often, you will have to think about its weight and size. The Canon M3 enjoys outer dimensions of 111mm x 68mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 366 grams (0.81 lbs) while the Olympus E-PL7 has specifications of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs).

Look at the Canon M3 and Olympus E-PL7 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are employing at the time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the M3 against the E-PL7.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the M3 and E-PL7 is 85 and 86 respectively.

Normally, its hard to picture the contrast in sensor measurements merely by researching technical specs. The visual below might give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the M3 and E-PL7.

As you can tell, each of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The M3 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF easier and the Canon M3 will provide you with more detail with its extra 8MP. Greater resolution will let you crop images way more aggressively.