Olympus E-510 vs Samsung NX3000

Following is a detailed analysis of the Olympus E-510 and Samsung NX3000, one is a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Samsung. There is a huge difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-510 (10MP) and NX3000 (20MP) and the E-510 (Four Thirds) and NX3000 (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The E-510 was announced 7 years earlier than the NX3000 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-510 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Samsung NX3000 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-510 grades vs the NX3000 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus E-510 and Samsung NX3000. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-510 Gallery and Samsung NX3000 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-510 provides exterior dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") and a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs) and the Samsung NX3000 has proportions of 117mm x 66mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.6" x 1.5") along with a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs).

See the Olympus E-510 and Samsung NX3000 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached during that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the E-510 against the NX3000.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-510 and NX3000 is 69 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizes purely by researching technical specs. The picture underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-510 and NX3000.

As you can tell, the two cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-510 with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Samsung NX3000 will result in greater detail with its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics more aggressively. The more aged E-510 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.