Olympus E-3 vs Pentax W80

On this page, we are evaluating the Olympus E-3 vs Pentax W80, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-3 (10MP) and the W80 (12MP) is fairly close but the E-3 (Four Thirds) and W80 (1/2.3") offer different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was revealed 16 months earlier than the W80 making them a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Pentax W80 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a quick view of how the E-3 matches up versus the W80 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus E-3 & Pentax Optio W80. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Pentax W80 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-3 enjoys outside measurements of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") with a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) and the Pentax W80 has measurements of 100mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-3 vs Pentax W80 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have at that moment. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-3 vs the W80.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-3 and W80 is 56 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to visualize the gap in sensor measurements simply by researching technical specs. The photograph below might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-3 and W80.

As you have seen, both cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-3 with its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF simpler and the Pentax W80 will provide you with extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The older E-3 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.