Olympus E-P3 vs Pentax K10D

Lets look more in depth at the Olympus E-P3 and Pentax K10D, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The resolution of the E-P3 (12MP) and the K10D (10MP) is fairly close but the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and K10D (APS-C) boast different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-P3 was released 4 years after the K10D which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K10D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting right into a detailed comparison, here is a quick view of how the E-P3 scores against the K10D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P3 and Pentax K10D. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-P3 Gallery and Pentax K10D Gallery.

If you are intending to carry around your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-P3 provides outside dimensions of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) whilst the Pentax K10D has dimensions of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") with a weight of 793 grams (1.75 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-P3 and Pentax K10D in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the E-P3 against the K10D.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-P3 and K10D is 86 and 59 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes just by researching technical specs. The picture below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-P3 and K10D.

As you have seen, both the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-P3 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Olympus E-P3 will render extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos way more aggressively. The younger E-P3 should have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.