Olympus E-M1 vs Sony NEX-3

Lets take a closer look at the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony NEX-3, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-M1 (16MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-M1 (Four Thirds) and NEX-3 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M1 was manufactured 3 years after the NEX-3 which is quite a large difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a complete comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-M1 grades against the NEX-3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus OM-D E-M1 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 provides external measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") along with a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs) and the Sony NEX-3 has specifications of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-M1 versus Sony NEX-3 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the E-M1 vs the NEX-3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 and NEX-3 is 71 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it's tough to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions merely by checking specifications. The pic below will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M1 and NEX-3.

To sum up, the 2 cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-M1 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Olympus E-M1 will give you extra detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The more recent E-M1 will have a benefit in sensor technology.