Olympus E-400 vs Olympus E-PL3

Lets look much closer at the Olympus E-400 and Olympus E-PL3, former being a Entry-Level DSLR while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are created by Olympus. The image resolution of the E-400 (10MP) and the E-PL3 (12MP) is relatively similar and they feature the exact same sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-400 was brought out 6 years earlier than the E-PL3 and that is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-400 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-400 matches up vs the E-PL3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus E-400 & Olympus PEN E-PL3. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-400 Gallery & Olympus E-PL3 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-400 has got physical measurements of 130mm x 91mm x 53mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.1") and a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL3 has specifications of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-400 and Olympus E-PL3 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are employing during that time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the E-400 and the E-PL3.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the E-400 and E-PL3 is 77 and 88 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to visualise the difference between sensor sizing just by reviewing specifications. The graphic underneath will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-400 and E-PL3.

Plainly, the two cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same megapixels. You can count on the Olympus E-PL3 to offer greater detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The older E-400 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.