Olympus FE-5020 vs Sony NEX-3

Lets examine more in depth at the Olympus FE-5020 and Sony NEX-3, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the FE-5020 (12MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is relatively close but the FE-5020 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The FE-5020 was manufactured 10 months earlier than the NEX-3 and they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus FE-5020 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going in to a in depth comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the FE-5020 matches up versus the NEX-3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus FE-5020 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The entire galleries are available at Olympus FE-5020 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus FE-5020 offers exterior dimensions of 93mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 1.0") with a weight of 137 grams (0.30 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Check the Olympus FE-5020 and Sony NEX-3 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you use at that time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the FE-5020 versus the NEX-3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FE-5020 and NEX-3 is 95 and 89 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to see the contrast in sensor measurements only by looking through a spec sheet. The photograph below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the FE-5020 and NEX-3.

As you can see, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FE-5020 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field harder and the Sony NEX-3 will render more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots much more aggressively. The older FE-5020 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.