Olympus E-520 vs Olympus E-PL3

In this article, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-520 versus Olympus E-PL3, one being a Entry-Level DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both designed by Olympus. The resolution of the E-520 (10MP) and the E-PL3 (12MP) is pretty close and they use the same exact sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-520 was manufactured 4 years earlier than the E-PL3 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-520 being a Compact SLR camera and the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise summation of how the E-520 scores against the E-PL3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus E-520 and Olympus PEN E-PL3. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-520 Gallery and Olympus E-PL3 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera often, you should factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-520 features physical dimensions of 136mm x 92mm x 68mm (5.4" x 3.6" x 2.7") having a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) while the Olympus E-PL3 has measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-520 versus Olympus E-PL3 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the E-520 compared to the E-PL3.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-520 and E-PL3 is 68 and 88 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to see the contrast in sensor sizing purely by looking through specs. The visual here will help offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-520 and E-PL3.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same MP. You should expect the Olympus E-PL3 to render greater detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older E-520 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.