Olympus E-P3 vs Olympus 8000

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus E-P3 and Olympus 8000, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are designed by Olympus. The resolution of the E-P3 (12MP) and the 8000 (12MP) is very similar but the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and 8000 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The E-P3 was unveiled 2 years later than the 8000 and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus 8000 being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-P3 matches up vs the 8000 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-P3 and Olympus Stylus Tough 8000. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-P3 Gallery and Olympus 8000 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P3 offers outside dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") along with a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) whilst the Olympus 8000 has dimensions of 95mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") along with a weight of 182 grams (0.40 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-P3 and Olympus 8000 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select at that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the E-P3 vs the 8000.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-P3 and 8000 is 86 and 94 respectively.

Sometimes, its difficult to see the contrast between sensor sizing merely by reading specs. The visual here may offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-P3 and 8000.

All in all, each of the cameras feature the identical megapixel count but not the same sensor sizing. The E-P3 uses the larger sensor which is going to make obtaining shallow DOF less difficult. The more modern E-P3 will have an edge in sensor technology.