Nikon S4100 vs Olympus E-PL3

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Nikon S4100 versus Olympus E-PL3, one being a Ultracompact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Nikon and Olympus. The sensor resolution of the S4100 (14MP) and the E-PL3 (12MP) is pretty well matched but the S4100 (1/2.3") and E-PL3 (Four Thirds) offer totally different sensor size.

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The S4100 was released 7 months earlier than the E-PL3 so they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Nikon S4100 being a Ultracompact camera and the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a concise view of how the S4100 matches up vs the E-PL3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon Coolpix S4100 and Olympus PEN E-PL3. The complete galleries are viewable at Nikon S4100 Gallery and Olympus E-PL3 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera, you are going to need to think about its weight and size. The Nikon S4100 has got external measurements of 95mm x 57mm x 20mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of n/a grams (0.00 lbs) while the Olympus E-PL3 has specifications of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs).

Look at the Nikon S4100 versus Olympus E-PL3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use at that time. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the S4100 against the E-PL3.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the S4100 and E-PL3 is 99 and 88 respectively.

Typically, its hard to envision the contrast between sensor sizing merely by checking a spec sheet. The photograph here will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the S4100 and E-PL3.

As you can see, the two cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The S4100 because of its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Nikon S4100 will give more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The older S4100 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.