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Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5

Portability
67
Imaging
41
Features
31
Overall
37
Olympus E-300 front
 
Olympus PEN E-PL5 front
Portability
88
Imaging
52
Features
72
Overall
60

Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 Key Specs

Olympus E-300
(Full Review)
  • 8MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 1.8" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 400 (Raise to 1600)
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 624g - 147 x 85 x 64mm
  • Announced January 2005
  • Alternative Name is EVOLT E-300
  • Refreshed by Olympus E-330
Olympus E-PL5
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 325g - 111 x 64 x 38mm
  • Announced September 2012
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Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 Overview

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both built by Olympus. There exists a sizable gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-300 (8MP) and E-PL5 (16MP) but they possess the same exact sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-300 was manufactured 8 years earlier than the E-PL5 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-300 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight into a full comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-300 matches up against the E-PL5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-300 over the Olympus E-PL5

 E-300 E-PL5 

Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL5 over the Olympus E-300

 E-PL5 E-300 
AnnouncedSeptember 2012January 2005Fresher by 93 months
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display sizing3"1.8"Larger display (+1.2")
Display resolution460k134kClearer display (+326k dot)
Selfie screen Easy selfies
Touch display Easily navigate

Common features in the Olympus E-300 and Olympus E-PL5

 E-300 E-PL5 
Manual focus Very exact focusing

Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 Physical Comparison

When you are looking to carry your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-300 comes with outer dimensions of 147mm x 85mm x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") along with a weight of 624 grams (1.38 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL5 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).

See the Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use during that time. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the E-300 against the E-PL5.

Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 size comparison

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-300 and E-PL5 is 67 and 88 respectively.

Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 Sensor Comparison

Typically, it can be difficult to picture the contrast between sensor sizing only by reading through technical specs. The graphic here might give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-300 and E-PL5.

As you can tell, both of the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different MP. You can anticipate the Olympus E-PL5 to give you more detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos far more aggressively. The older E-300 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-300 Portrait photography advice
Olympus E-PL5 Portrait photography advice
48
focusing manually
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
no liveview
sensor resolution low (8 megapixels)
71
focusing manually
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
has face detection focusing
exports RAW files
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-300
Street photography with Olympus E-PL5
51
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization
max ISO too low (400)
85
screen tilts up and down
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
has touch to focus
very good ISO range (25,600)
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-300 Sports photography details
Olympus E-PL5 Sports photography details
37
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
has phase detect AF
no liveview
max fps low (3.0 frames per second)
does not have image stabilization
sensor resolution low (8MP)
66
image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
has tracking autofocus
has no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-300 as a Travel photography camera
Olympus E-PL5 as a Travel photography camera
45
flash built-in
missing Time Lapse function
sensor resolution low (8 megapixels)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
75
has touch to focus
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
selfie friendly display
no Time Lapse recording
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-300 Landscape photography advice
Olympus E-PL5 Landscape photography advice
43
focusing manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW files
screen is small (1.8")
no liveview
does not have image stabilization
sensor resolution low (8 megapixels)
max ISO too low (400)
missing Time Lapse function
74
focusing manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (16MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
very good ISO range (25,600)
exports RAW files
no Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-300 Vlogging details
Olympus E-PL5 Vlogging details
9
can't shoot video
78
selfie friendly display
screen is touchscreen
image stabilization (Sensor based)
has face detection focusing
good video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
no external mic port
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Olympus E-300 vs Olympus E-PL5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-300 and Olympus E-PL5
 Olympus E-300Olympus PEN E-PL5
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Olympus
Model Olympus E-300 Olympus PEN E-PL5
Also Known as EVOLT E-300 -
Category Advanced DSLR Entry-Level Mirrorless
Announced 2005-01-10 2012-09-17
Body design Mid-size SLR Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds Four Thirds
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 17.3 x 13mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 224.9mm²
Sensor resolution 8 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3
Maximum resolution 3264 x 2448 4608 x 3456
Maximum native ISO 400 25600
Maximum boosted ISO 1600 -
Minimum native ISO 100 200
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 3 35
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds
Amount of lenses 45 107
Focal length multiplier 2.1 2.1
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Tilting
Screen sizing 1.8" 3"
Resolution of screen 134k dot 460k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Electronic (optional)
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 60 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shooting speed 3.0 frames per second 8.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range - 7.00 m (bundled FL-LM1)
Flash options Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels)
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Highest flash sync 1/180 seconds 1/250 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions - 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution None 1920x1080
Video data format - MPEG-4, H.264, Motion JPEG
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 624g (1.38 lbs) 325g (0.72 lbs)
Dimensions 147 x 85 x 64mm (5.8" x 3.3" x 2.5") 111 x 64 x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 72
DXO Color Depth score not tested 22.8
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 12.3
DXO Low light score not tested 889
Other
Battery life - 360 shots
Battery form - Battery Pack
Battery model - BLS-5
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage media Compact Flash (Type I or II) SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots One One
Launch pricing $800 $400