Olympus E-1 vs Olympus SH-3

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-1 vs Olympus SH-3, former being a Pro DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are built by Olympus. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the E-1 (5MP) and SH-3 (16MP) and the E-1 (Four Thirds) and SH-3 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-1 was brought out 13 years earlier than the SH-3 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-1 being a Large SLR camera and the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-1 matches up against the SH-3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-1 & Olympus Stylus SH-3. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-1 Gallery & Olympus SH-3 Gallery.

If you're going to lug around your camera regularly, you need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-1 comes with external measurements of 141mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") and a weight of 735 grams (1.62 lbs) whilst the Olympus SH-3 has dimensions of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") having a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-1 vs Olympus SH-3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the E-1 compared to the SH-3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-1 and SH-3 is 59 and 88 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to envision the gap in sensor measurements only by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-1 and SH-3.

Clearly, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-1 due to its bigger sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus SH-3 will result in greater detail having its extra 11MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots much more aggressively. The older E-1 will be behind in sensor tech.