Olympus E-M10 vs Olympus E-PL3

On this page, we are evaluating the Olympus E-M10 versus Olympus E-PL3, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras and they are both manufactured by Olympus. There exists a large gap between the resolutions of the E-M10 (16MP) and E-PL3 (12MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-M10 was manufactured 2 years later than the E-PL3 and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M10 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief overview of how the E-M10 grades vs the E-PL3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M10 & Olympus PEN E-PL3. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-M10 Gallery & Olympus E-PL3 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-M10 offers external measurements of 119mm x 82mm x 46mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 1.8") and a weight of 396 grams (0.87 lbs) and 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).

Examine the Olympus E-M10 versus Olympus E-PL3 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the E-M10 against the E-PL3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M10 and E-PL3 is 82 and 88 respectively.

Typically, its hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing only by going over technical specs. The photograph underneath will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M10 and E-PL3.

As you can tell, both cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but not the same resolution. You can expect to see the Olympus E-M10 to deliver greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics more aggressively. The more recent E-M10 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.