Olympus FE-45 vs Olympus E-PL3

Following is a in depth comparison of the Olympus FE-45 and Olympus E-PL3, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are created by Olympus. The resolution of the FE-45 (10MP) and the E-PL3 (12MP) is relatively close but the FE-45 (1/2.3") and E-PL3 (Four Thirds) posses totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The FE-45 was brought out 3 years before the E-PL3 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus FE-45 being a Compact camera and the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the FE-45 grades against the E-PL3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus FE-45 & Olympus PEN E-PL3. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus FE-45 Gallery & Olympus E-PL3 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera, you will need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus FE-45 features outside dimensions of 94mm x 62mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") and a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL3 has specifications of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus FE-45 and Olympus E-PL3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the FE-45 compared to the E-PL3.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the FE-45 and E-PL3 is 95 and 88 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes merely by researching a spec sheet. The image below might give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the FE-45 and E-PL3.

Clearly, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FE-45 featuring a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Olympus E-PL3 will provide you with extra detail having its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged FE-45 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.