Nikon D3100 vs Olympus E-420

Below is a in-depth review of the Nikon D3100 vs Olympus E-420, both Entry-Level DSLR cameras by companies Nikon and Olympus. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the D3100 (14MP) and E-420 (10MP) and the D3100 (APS-C) and E-420 (Four Thirds) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The D3100 was launched 2 years later than the E-420 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact SLR).

Before going straight into a complete comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the D3100 matches up versus the E-420 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon D3100 & Olympus E-420. The complete galleries are available at Nikon D3100 Gallery & Olympus E-420 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera, you will have to consider its weight and measurements. The Nikon D3100 has outside measurements of 124mm x 96mm x 75mm (4.9" x 3.8" x 3.0") along with a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs) and the Olympus E-420 has proportions of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") accompanied by a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs).

See the Nikon D3100 vs Olympus E-420 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you select at that moment. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the D3100 and the E-420.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the D3100 and E-420 is 68 and 77 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to visualise the difference in sensor measurements purely by checking out technical specs. The graphic below will offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the D3100 and E-420.

As you can tell, both of those cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The D3100 featuring a bigger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field easier and the Nikon D3100 will provide extra detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots much more aggressively. The more recent D3100 is going to have an edge in sensor technology.