Olympus E-3 vs Olympus E-PL2

Here is a complete review of the Olympus E-3 and Olympus E-PL2, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both offered by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-3 (10MP) and the E-PL2 (12MP) is fairly close and both cameras provide the same sensor measurements (Four Thirds).

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The E-3 was announced 4 years prior to the E-PL2 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the E-3 matches up vs the E-PL2 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-3 and Olympus PEN E-PL2. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Olympus E-PL2 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-3 offers physical measurements of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") having a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL2 has sizing of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-3 and Olympus E-PL2 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-3 against the E-PL2.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-3 and E-PL2 is 56 and 85 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be tough to visualize the gap in sensor sizing simply by researching technical specs. The visual underneath might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-3 and E-PL2.

As you can tell, each of the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but different megapixels. You should anticipate the Olympus E-PL2 to result in more detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The older E-3 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.