Olympus E-3 vs Olympus E-PL6

Here is a detailed analysis of the Olympus E-3 vs Olympus E-PL6, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are manufactured by Olympus. There exists a crucial gap among the resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and E-PL6 (16MP) but they enjoy the exact same sensor measurements (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was introduced 7 years before the E-PL6 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go through a complete comparison, below is a concise summary of how the E-3 matches up versus the E-PL6 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-3 and Olympus PEN E-PL6. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-3 Gallery and Olympus E-PL6 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-3 features external 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-PL6 has specifications of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-3 vs Olympus E-PL6 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Here is the front view scale comparison of the E-3 and the E-PL6.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-3 and E-PL6 is 56 and 88 respectively.

More often than not, it is very hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing simply by looking through specs. The photograph underneath might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-3 and E-PL6.

All in all, both of these cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit different megapixels. You should expect the Olympus E-PL6 to result in more detail using its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The older E-3 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.