Olympus E-P3 vs Sony A850

Below, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-P3 and Sony A850, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the E-P3 (12MP) and A850 (25MP) and the E-P3 (Four Thirds) and A850 (Full frame) possess totally different sensor sizes.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The E-P3 was launched 17 months after the A850 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-P3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a short highlight of how the E-P3 grades vs the A850 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-P3 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-P3 Gallery & Sony A850 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-P3 offers physical measurements of 122mm x 69mm x 34mm (4.8" x 2.7" x 1.3") having a weight of 369 grams (0.81 lbs) and the Sony A850 has proportions of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-P3 and Sony A850 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-P3 versus the A850.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the E-P3 and A850 is 86 and 54 respectively.

Generally, its tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizes purely by viewing a spec sheet. The image here will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P3 and A850.

As you can see, both of those cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-P3 featuring a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Sony A850 will provide you with greater detail utilizing its extra 13 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more modern E-P3 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.