Olympus E-330 vs Sony NEX-3N

In this article, we are analyzing the Olympus E-330 and Sony NEX-3N, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a large gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-330 (7MP) and NEX-3N (16MP) and the E-330 (Four Thirds) and NEX-3N (APS-C) use different sensor dimensions.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The E-330 was brought out 8 years earlier than the NEX-3N and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-330 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-3N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting in to a complete comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the E-330 grades against the NEX-3N when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-330 & Sony Alpha NEX-3N. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-330 Gallery & Sony NEX-3N Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera often, you are going to need to consider 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) while the Sony NEX-3N has dimensions of 110mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.4") with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

See the Olympus E-330 and Sony NEX-3N in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the E-330 vs the NEX-3N.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-330 and NEX-3N is 65 and 89 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to picture the difference in sensor sizing only by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph underneath should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-330 and NEX-3N.

As you can see, both the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The E-330 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony NEX-3N will produce more detail having its extra 9MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos a little more aggressively. The older E-330 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.