Olympus E-330 vs Olympus E-PL3

On this page, we will be looking at the Olympus E-330 vs Olympus E-PL3, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are created by Olympus. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the E-330 (7MP) and E-PL3 (12MP) but both cameras provide the same sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-330 was introduced 6 years before the E-PL3 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-330 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief summary of how the E-330 scores vs the E-PL3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-330 and Olympus PEN E-PL3. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-330 Gallery and Olympus E-PL3 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-330 enjoys outside measurements of 140mm x 87mm x 72mm (5.5" x 3.4" x 2.8") having a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs) and the Olympus E-PL3 has dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-330 vs Olympus E-PL3 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at that moment. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the E-330 versus the E-PL3.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-330 and E-PL3 is 65 and 88 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to envision the difference in sensor sizing just by checking out specs. The photograph below should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-330 and E-PL3.

As you can plainly see, both cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Olympus E-PL3 to show greater detail using its extra 5MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The older E-330 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.