Olympus E-3 vs Sony NEX-5R

Here, we will be comparing the Olympus E-3 vs Sony NEX-5R, former being a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the E-3 (10MP) and NEX-5R (16MP) and the E-3 (Four Thirds) and NEX-5R (APS-C) have different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-3 was released 5 years prior to the NEX-5R and that is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a comprehensive comparison, here is a short summation of how the E-3 matches up vs the NEX-5R with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-3 & Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-3 Gallery & Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera, you will need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-3 enjoys physical measurements of 142mm x 116mm x 75mm (5.6" x 4.6" x 3.0") along with a weight of 890 grams (1.96 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5R has dimensions of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-3 vs Sony NEX-5R in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you use during that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the E-3 versus the NEX-5R.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-3 and NEX-5R is 56 and 89 respectively.

Quite often, it's tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing simply by reading through specs. The graphic here will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-3 and NEX-5R.

All in all, both of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-3 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony NEX-5R will resolve extra detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures way more aggressively. The older E-3 is going to be behind in sensor technology.