Olympus E-510 vs Olympus E-PL3

In this write-up, we will be contrasting the Olympus E-510 versus Olympus E-PL3, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are designed by Olympus. The resolution of the E-510 (10MP) and the E-PL3 (12MP) is pretty similar and they use the same exact sensor size (Four Thirds).

Photography Glossary

The E-510 was unveiled 4 years before the E-PL3 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a complete comparison, below is a simple summary of how the E-510 matches up vs the E-PL3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-510 and Olympus PEN E-PL3. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-510 Gallery and Olympus E-PL3 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-510 comes with exterior dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") with a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL3 has dimensions 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-510 versus Olympus E-PL3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the E-510 against the E-PL3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-510 and E-PL3 is 69 and 88 respectively.

Quite often, it is hard to envision the contrast between sensor measurements simply by reviewing technical specs. The graphic underneath may offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-510 and E-PL3.

As you can tell, both cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Olympus E-PL3 to deliver greater detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures far more aggressively. The older E-510 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.