Olympus E-3 vs Olympus SP-820UZ

In this write-up, we are reviewing the Olympus E-3 and Olympus SP-820UZ, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are sold by Olympus. There exists a large gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and SP-820UZ (14MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and SP-820UZ (1/2.3") come with different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was launched 5 years earlier than the SP-820UZ and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera.

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the E-3 scores vs the SP-820UZ for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-3 & Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery.

For those who are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-3 has external dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) and the Olympus SP-820UZ has sizing of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") having a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-3 and Olympus SP-820UZ in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have at the time. Here is the front view measurement comparison of the E-3 vs the SP-820UZ.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-3 and SP-820UZ is 56 and 69 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to picture the contrast between sensor measurements merely by reading through specifications. The visual underneath will give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-3 and SP-820UZ.

To sum up, each of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-3 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus SP-820UZ will give you extra detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics a little more aggressively. The older E-3 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.