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Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3

Portability
70
Imaging
42
Features
34
Overall
38
Olympus E-500 front
 
Olympus Stylus SH-3 front
Portability
88
Imaging
41
Features
51
Overall
45

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 Key Specs

Olympus E-500
(Full Review)
  • 8MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 400 (Expand to 1600)
  • No Video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 479g - 130 x 95 x 66mm
  • Released October 2005
  • Additionally Known as EVOLT E-500
  • Renewed by Olympus E-510
Olympus SH-3
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • 25-600mm (F3.0-6.9) lens
  • 271g - 109 x 63 x 42mm
  • Revealed February 2016
  • Previous Model is Olympus SH-2
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Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 Overview

Lets look more closely at the Olympus E-500 and Olympus SH-3, one is a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both manufactured by Olympus. There exists a crucial gap between the resolutions of the E-500 (8MP) and SH-3 (16MP) and the E-500 (Four Thirds) and SH-3 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizes.

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The E-500 was introduced 11 years prior to the SH-3 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-500 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the E-500 matches up against the SH-3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-500 over the Olympus SH-3

 E-500 SH-3 
Focus manually Dial precise focus

Reasons to pick Olympus SH-3 over the Olympus E-500

 SH-3 E-500 
RevealedFebruary 2016October 2005Newer by 125 months
Screen dimensions3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution460k215kSharper screen (+245k dot)
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Common features in the Olympus E-500 and Olympus SH-3

 E-500 SH-3 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Lack of selfie screen

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 Physical Comparison

When you are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you're going to have to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-500 has got outer measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") along with a weight of 479 grams (1.06 lbs) while the Olympus SH-3 has sizing of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-500 and Olympus SH-3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use during that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the E-500 and the SH-3.

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-500 and SH-3 is 70 and 88 respectively.

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 Sensor Comparison

Typically, it's hard to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by checking specifications. The image here will provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-500 and SH-3.

To sum up, the 2 cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-500 having a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus SH-3 will resolve greater detail using its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures more aggressively. The more aged E-500 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Olympus E-500
Portrait photography with Olympus SH-3
49
you can focus manually
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
doesn't have liveview
sensor resolution low (8 megapixels)
44
MP count good (16 megapixels)
offers face detection focus
supports RAW formats
focusing manually not possible
no external flash support
small sensor (1/2.3")
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Olympus E-500
Street photography with Olympus SH-3
57
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
lighter than competitors in class (479g)
screen does not articulate
does not have image stabilization
low maximum ISO (400)
70
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
supports RAW formats
has touch focus
lighter than others (271g)
no articulating screen
small sensor (1/2.3")
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-500 Sports photography info
Olympus SH-3 Sports photography info
37
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
sensor has phase detect auto focus
doesn't have liveview
slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
sensor resolution low (8MP)
51
excellent zoom range (25-600mm 24.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count good (16 megapixels)
offers tracking autofocus
good battery pack (380 shots)
no shutter priority mode
small sensor (1/2.3")
no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-500 Travel photography details
Olympus SH-3 Travel photography details
52
lighter than competitors in class (479 grams)
has built in flash
does not have Time Lapse function
sensor resolution low (8MP)
screen isn't selfie friendly
74
good battery pack (380 CIPA)
lighter than others (271 grams)
has touch focus
MP count good (16MP)
has built in flash
relatively wide (25mm)
long reach (600mm)
display is not selfie friendly
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.0)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-500 Landscape photography factors
Olympus SH-3 Landscape photography factors
43
you can focus manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
small screen (2.5 inch)
doesn't have liveview
does not have image stabilization
sensor resolution low (8MP)
low maximum ISO (400)
does not have Time Lapse function
55
relatively wide (25mm)
screen size is good (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
MP count good (16MP)
supports RAW formats
good battery pack (380 CIPA)
focusing manually not possible
can't switch lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.0)
small sensor (1/2.3")
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-500 Vlogging highlights
Olympus SH-3 Vlogging highlights
9
can't shoot video
35
relatively wide (25mm)
touchscreen capability
built in image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
offers face detection focus
high res video (3840 x 2160 resolution)
lighter than others (271g)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.0)
display is not selfie friendly
does not have external mic socket
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Olympus E-500 vs Olympus SH-3 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-500 and Olympus SH-3
 Olympus E-500Olympus Stylus SH-3
General Information
Company Olympus Olympus
Model type Olympus E-500 Olympus Stylus SH-3
Also called as EVOLT E-500 -
Category Advanced DSLR Small Sensor Superzoom
Released 2005-10-21 2016-02-08
Physical type Mid-size SLR Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by - TruePic VII
Sensor type CCD BSI-CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 8MP 16MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution 3264 x 2448 4608 x 3456
Maximum native ISO 400 6400
Maximum enhanced ISO 1600 -
Lowest native ISO 100 125
RAW format
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Total focus points 3 -
Lens
Lens support Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 25-600mm (24.0x)
Maximum aperture - f/3.0-6.9
Macro focusing distance - 3cm
Number of lenses 45 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.8
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display size 2.5" 3"
Display resolution 215k dots 460k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) None
Viewfinder coverage 95 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.45x -
Features
Min shutter speed 60 secs 30 secs
Max shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/2000 secs
Continuous shutter rate 3.0fps 11.5fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 13.00 m (at ISO 100) 8.30 m (at ISO 3200)
Flash modes Auto, Auto FP, Manual, Red-Eye Auto, redeye reduction, fill-in, off
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Max flash synchronize 1/180 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions - 3840 x 2160 (15 fps), 1920 x 1080 (60p, 30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution None 3840x2160
Video data format - H.264
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 479g (1.06 lbs) 271g (0.60 lbs)
Physical dimensions 130 x 95 x 66mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.6") 109 x 63 x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 380 images
Type of battery - Battery Pack
Battery ID - LI-92B
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec, custom)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage Compact Flash (Type I or II), xD Picture Card SD, SDHC, SDXC, Internal Memory
Card slots One One
Cost at release $600 $579