Olympus E-3 vs Olympus E-M10 III

Below, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-3 and Olympus E-M10 III, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both sold by Olympus. There exists a noticeable gap between the resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and E-M10 III (16MP) but they enjoy the exact same sensor size (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was revealed 10 years earlier than the E-M10 III and that is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-M10 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go through a full comparison, below is a concise summation of how the E-3 grades against the E-M10 III with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-3 & Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Olympus E-M10 III Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera, you will want to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-3 provides exterior dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") and a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) and the Olympus E-M10 III has measurements of 122mm x 84mm x 50mm (4.8" x 3.3" x 2.0") along with a weight of 410 grams (0.90 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-3 and Olympus E-M10 III in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at that time. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the E-3 versus the E-M10 III.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-3 and E-M10 III is 56 and 80 respectively.

Sometimes, it is hard to picture the difference between sensor sizing purely by reading through a spec sheet. The photograph below should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-3 and E-M10 III.

As you can see, both of those cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit different megapixels. You can count on the Olympus E-M10 III to give you more detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will help you crop shots much more aggressively. The older E-3 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.