Olympus E-3 vs Sony A500

Following is a extended review of the Olympus E-3 versus Sony A500, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-3 (10MP) and the A500 (12MP) is pretty well matched but the E-3 (Four Thirds) and A500 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor size.

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The E-3 was revealed 18 months before the A500 which makes them a generation away from each other. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving into a in-depth comparison, here is a short highlight of how the E-3 grades versus the A500 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-3 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Sony A500 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-3 enjoys outside dimensions of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") having a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) and the Sony A500 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-3 versus Sony A500 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the E-3 versus the A500.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-3 and A500 is 56 and 63 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to envision the difference between sensor sizes just by checking a spec sheet. The picture here may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-3 and A500.

As you can see, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-3 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony A500 will resolve greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-3 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.