Olympus E-M5 vs Olympus E-PL3

Let's take a deeper look at the Olympus E-M5 versus Olympus E-PL3, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and they are both created by Olympus. There exists a considerable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-M5 (16MP) and E-PL3 (12MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor size (Four Thirds).

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The E-M5 was revealed 8 months after the E-PL3 so they are of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting right into a full comparison, here is a quick overview of how the E-M5 grades vs the E-PL3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus OM-D E-M5 & Olympus PEN E-PL3. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M5 Gallery & Olympus E-PL3 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera, you have to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-M5 offers external dimensions of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL3 has specifications of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-M5 versus Olympus E-PL3 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose at the time. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the E-M5 and the E-PL3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-M5 and E-PL3 is 81 and 88 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to envision the contrast in sensor sizes just by viewing a spec sheet. The pic here may offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M5 and E-PL3.

As you can see, both the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You can expect the Olympus E-M5 to provide you with more detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures more aggressively. The more modern E-M5 is going to have an edge in sensor technology.