Olympus E-M5 vs Sony NEX-3

Its time to look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-M5 vs Sony NEX-3, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-M5 (16MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the E-M5 (Four Thirds) and NEX-3 (APS-C) feature different sensor dimensions.

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The E-M5 was launched 24 months after the NEX-3 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-M5 grades vs the NEX-3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M5 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-M5 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-M5 comes with exterior measurements of 122mm x 89mm x 43mm (4.8" x 3.5" x 1.7") along with a weight of 425 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has dimensions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-M5 vs Sony NEX-3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have at that time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the E-M5 against the NEX-3.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-M5 and NEX-3 is 81 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by going through specifications. The image here may offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-M5 and NEX-3.

To sum up, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Olympus E-M5 will show greater detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The newer E-M5 should have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.