Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-P3

On this page, we are reviewing the Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-P3, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are built by Olympus. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and E-P3 (12MP) but both cameras provide the same sensor sizes (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-500 was released 6 years earlier than the E-P3 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a thorough comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the E-500 scores versus the E-P3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-500 and Olympus PEN E-P3. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-500 Gallery and Olympus E-P3 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-500 features outer dimensions of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") along with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) and the Olympus E-P3 has dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") having a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-500 vs Olympus E-P3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the E-500 and the E-P3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-500 and E-P3 is 70 and 86 respectively.

Often, it can be hard to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by going through specs. The picture here should provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-500 and E-P3.

All in all, the 2 cameras have the same sensor dimensions but different resolution. You should expect to see the Olympus E-P3 to produce extra detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-500 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.