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Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500

Portability
86
Imaging
48
Features
60
Overall
52
Olympus PEN E-P3 front
 
Sony Alpha DSLR-A500 front
Portability
63
Imaging
52
Features
52
Overall
52

Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 Key Specs

Olympus E-P3
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 369g - 122 x 69 x 34mm
  • Introduced August 2011
  • Earlier Model is Olympus E-P2
  • Successor is Olympus E-P5
Sony A500
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 630g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
  • Announced August 2009
  • Refreshed by Sony A560
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Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 Overview

In this write-up, we are comparing the Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-P3 (12MP) and the A500 (12MP) is very well matched but the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and A500 (APS-C) use totally different sensor measurements.

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The E-P3 was manufactured 24 months after the A500 making the cameras a generation away from one another. The two cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going through a thorough comparison, below is a concise view of how the E-P3 scores against the A500 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-P3 over the Sony A500

 E-P3 A500 
AnnouncedAugust 2011August 2009More modern by 24 months
Display resolution614k230kCrisper display (+384k dot)
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Reasons to pick Sony A500 over the Olympus E-P3

 A500 E-P3 
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display

Common features in the Olympus E-P3 and Sony A500

 E-P3 A500 
Manually focus More precise focusing
Display sizing3"3"Equivalent display measurements
Selfie screen Neither includes selfie screen

Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 Physical Comparison

For those who are intending to carry around your camera regularly, you're going to have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-P3 features physical measurements 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 Sony A500 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you choose at the time. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the E-P3 compared to the A500.

Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P3 and A500 is 86 and 63 respectively.

Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it's hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizes only by reading through specs. The pic below will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P3 and A500.

All in all, the 2 cameras offer the same exact megapixels but not the same sensor sizes. The E-P3 contains the tinier sensor which is going to make getting shallow depth of field trickier. The more recent E-P3 is going to have a benefit in sensor tech.

Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-P3 Portrait photography highlights
Sony A500 Portrait photography highlights
60
has manual focus
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
offers face detection autofocus
exports RAW files
low resolution (12 megapixels)
63
manual focus
sensor size is good (APS-C)
includes face detect focusing
delivers RAW formats
low MP (12 megapixels)
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-P3 Street photography information
Sony A500 Street photography information
76
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
includes touch focus
fixed screen
74
tilting screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
Photography Glossary

Sports Comparison

Olympus E-P3 Sports photography highlights
Sony A500 Sports photography highlights
49
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
offers tracking autofocus
slow fps (3.0 fps)
low resolution (12MP)
has no phase detect autofocus
51
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
comes with phase detect AF
slow fps (5.0 frames per second)
low MP (12MP)
bad battery life (520 CIPA)
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Travel Comparison

Olympus E-P3 Travel photography info
Sony A500 Travel photography info
60
includes touch focus
has built in flash
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
low resolution (12 megapixels)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
43
has built in flash
missing Timelapse recording
bad battery life (520 shots)
low MP (12 megapixels)
does not have selfie friendly screen
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-P3 as a Landscape photography camera
Sony A500 as a Landscape photography camera
65
has manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
low resolution (12MP)
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
60
manual focus
change lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
low MP (12 megapixels)
bad battery life (520 CIPA)
missing Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-P3 Vlogging info
Sony A500 Vlogging info
35
touch screen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detection autofocus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
doesn't contain selfie friendly display
doesn't have external mic port
9
can't record video
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Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-P3 and Sony A500
 Olympus PEN E-P3Sony Alpha DSLR-A500
General Information
Brand Name Olympus Sony
Model type Olympus PEN E-P3 Sony Alpha DSLR-A500
Category Entry-Level Mirrorless Entry-Level DSLR
Introduced 2011-08-17 2009-08-27
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Processor Chip TruePic VI Bionz
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds APS-C
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 23.5 x 15.6mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 366.6mm²
Sensor resolution 12MP 12MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution 4032 x 3024 4272 x 2848
Max native ISO 12800 12800
Minimum native ISO 100 200
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
AF continuous
Single AF
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Total focus points 35 9
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds Sony/Minolta Alpha
Total lenses 107 143
Focal length multiplier 2.1 1.5
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Tilting
Screen diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Screen resolution 614k dot 230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Screen tech 3:2 OLED with Anti-Fingerprint Coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type Electronic (optional) Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder coverage - 95 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.53x
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60 secs 30 secs
Fastest shutter speed 1/4000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter speed 3.0 frames/s 5.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance 10.00 m (@ ISO 200) 12.00 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Wireless, Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Fastest flash sync 1/180 secs 1/160 secs
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) -
Max video resolution 1920x1080 None
Video format AVCHD, Motion JPEG -
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 369 gr (0.81 lb) 630 gr (1.39 lb)
Dimensions 122 x 69 x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 51 64
DXO Color Depth rating 20.8 21.8
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.1 11.6
DXO Low light rating 536 772
Other
Battery life 330 shots 520 shots
Battery format Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery ID BLS-5 NP-FM500H
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC card SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Storage slots 1 1
Launch pricing $0 $638