Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A290

Lets look a little more closely at the Olympus E-P3 and Sony A290, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-P3 (12MP) and the A290 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and A290 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-P3 was revealed 15 months after the A290 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go through a thorough comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the E-P3 matches up against the A290 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-P3 Gallery and Sony A290 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to travel with your camera often, you will need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-P3 enjoys exterior measurements of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") and a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) and the Sony A290 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-P3 and Sony A290 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the E-P3 against the A290.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-P3 and A290 is 86 and 66 respectively.

Normally, its tough to visualise the contrast between sensor dimensions just by checking a spec sheet. The picture below will give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P3 and A290.

Clearly, both cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-P3 using its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field trickier and the Sony A290 will give greater detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics a little more aggressively. The more modern E-P3 is going to have an edge in sensor tech.