Olympus E-P3 vs Sony RX10 II: An Expert Hands-On Comparison for Serious Photographers

Choosing your next camera is never easy, especially when comparing two very different models like the Olympus PEN E-P3 (2011) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II (2015). Both have carved unique niches in mirrorless and bridge-camera realms, and each brings distinct strengths built for particular photographic ambitions. Over years of rigorous hands-on testing and side-by-side evaluations, I've gathered deep insights into how each performs - not just on paper but in real, demanding environments.

In this detailed 2500-word comparison, I’ll unpack sensor technology, autofocus prowess, ergonomics, image quality, and more across all major photography genres - from landscapes and portraits to wildlife, macro, and video. Whether you’re an enthusiast seeking versatile yet compact travel gear or a pro hunting for a specialized tool, I’ll clarify which camera truly deserves a spot in your kit.

Let’s dive in.

When Size and Handling Matter: Body Design and Ergonomics

Starting with the tactile experience, these cameras couldn’t be more different in form factor and handling philosophy.

The Olympus E-P3 embodies the classic rangefinder-style mirrorless with a compact 122 x 69 x 34 mm body weighing just 369 grams. Its slim profile and lightweight construction make it especially attractive for street and travel photographers who demand discretion and portability without sacrificing quality. The E-P3 fits comfortably in hand, and the micro four thirds mount enhances its versatility with a robust lens ecosystem. However, its grip lacks deep contours, so those with larger hands might find extended use slightly fatiguing.

Contrastingly, the Sony RX10 II is a decidedly larger, heavier bridge camera with an SLR-like body measuring 129 x 88 x 102 mm and tipping the scales at 813 grams. This bulk is in part due to its fixed 24-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens with built-in optical stabilization - a powerhouse in telephoto reach and versatility. Its pronounced grip and control layout cater well to photographers shooting action, wildlife or landscapes where firm handling is crucial.

From my extended use, I find the RX10 II’s heft reassuring for long telephoto bursts but less convenient for casual carry or street situations compared to the nimble E-P3. But ergonomics go beyond size: button placement and interface intuitiveness influence shooting fluency.

Control Layout and Interface: Finding Commands Mid-Shoot

Both Olympus and Sony have invested thoughtfully in user interface design, yet their approaches reflect their eras and target users.

Olympus E-P3 features a top-plate minimally equipped with dials and buttons - a design favoring simplicity without compromise. I appreciate its thoughtfully placed exposure compensation dial and front/rear control wheels facilitating quick setting changes in aperture or shutter priority modes. However, the absence of a built-in electronic viewfinder means reliance on the rear OLED touch display for composition.

The Sony RX10 II steps up with a more complex top deck hosting dedicated dials: an ISO dial, exposure compensation dial, and mode dial, along with customizable buttons to speed access. Notably, it boasts a high-resolution electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), delivering a sharp, 100% coverage live preview indispensable for bright outdoor conditions and precise framing.

In practice, I find the RX10 II’s well-illuminated viewfinder a huge plus in direct sunlight, while the Olympus’s simplified controls maintain focus on essential functions, streamlined for on-the-go shooting.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of Imaging

Sensor technology remains a crucial differentiator, impacting resolution, low light capabilities, dynamic range, color fidelity, and overall image quality.

The Olympus E-P3 features a 12MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor measuring 17.3 x 13 mm, paired with the TruePic VI image processor. While modest in resolution by today's standards, the Four Thirds sensor size enables a smaller system overall and benefits from a wide array of native lenses delivering excellent optical quality. Its ISO range peaks at 12800, though image noise becomes noticeable beyond ISO 1600.

Sony’s RX10 II uses a 20MP 1-inch BSI-CMOS sensor (13.2 x 8.8 mm) with Bionz X processor, pushing resolution higher while maintaining impressive signal-to-noise ratios due to backside illumination (BSI) tech. This sensor is considerably smaller than the E-P3's Four Thirds sensor in area but benefits from advances in sensor design and processing, yielding excellent dynamic range (measured at 12.6 EV) and color depth (23 bits at DxOmark).

Comparatively, Olympus delivers deeper depth of field for a given aperture (due to smaller sensor) and great color rendering with skin tones - a strong point in portraits. Sony’s RX10 II shines in sharper details, tonal gradation, and superior high-ISO performance, essential for low-light wildlife or sports. It also offers an extended ISO to 25600 boost, a rarity in bridge cameras.

LCD Screen and Viewfinder Experience

The Olympus E-P3 sports a fixed 3.0-inch OLED display with 614k-dot resolution and anti-fingerprint coating - not particularly sharp by today’s benchmarks but with excellent contrast and viewing angles. Its touchscreen allows intuitive focus point selection and menu navigation, enhancing ease of use despite the lack of an integrated EVF.

Sony’s RX10 II features a 3.0-inch tilting LCD with 1229k-dot resolution, double the pixel count of Olympus's screen, offering richer detail for image review and live settings adjustments. More importantly, the RX10 II has a high-resolution electronic viewfinder with a magnification of 0.7x, vital for eye-level composing and tracking fast subjects, particularly in bright conditions.

Having tested both extensively, I rely heavily on the RX10 II’s EVF for active shooting, finding the Olympus E-P3’s touchscreen interface more favorable for casual or composed shooting where liveview dominates.

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones, Eye Detection, and Bokeh Quality

Portraiture demands flattering skin tone reproduction, precise eye autofocus for sharpness, and pleasing background separation.

The Olympus E-P3’s TruePic VI processor and Four Thirds sensor deliver natural, warm skin tones without oversaturation - a trait many portrait shooters appreciate. Its contrast-detection AF with face detection performs reasonably well but lacks eye-detection capabilities to swiftly lock on iris details. The smaller sensor size also means broader depth-of-field for equivalent apertures, so achieving shallow bokeh requires fast lenses (e.g., f/1.8 primes) available in the Micro Four Thirds ecosystem.

The Sony RX10 II boasts facial and eye detection autofocus that is impressively responsive. While not perfect, during my portrait tests, it consistently achieved sharp focus on eyes even when subjects moved naturally. Add a constant f/2.8 aperture zoom lens, and this camera provides remarkable bokeh quality with smooth background blur from wide-angle to telephoto ends. Although its 1-inch sensor is smaller than APS-C or full frame, the fast lens partially compensates for shallower depth of field.

When evaluating portraits side by side, I noticed Olympus renders skin tones with subtly warmer hues - ideal for skin rendering - while Sony’s colors tended to be neutral to slightly cooler but with a crisper texture rendition.

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range and Durability

Landscape photographers need wide dynamic range, high resolution, and robust weather sealing for shooting in variable outdoor conditions.

The Sony RX10 II's dynamic range of 12.6 EV surpasses the Olympus E-P3’s 10.1 EV - meaning it better recovers shadow and highlight detail during post-processing. Its 20MP sensor captures more fine detail (5472 x 3648 pixels) compared to Olympus’s 12MP (4032 x 3024 pixels), allowing larger print sizes and more crop flexibility.

Notably, the RX10 II includes weather sealing - a vital feature for field photographers who brave rain or dust. Olympus E-P3 lacks any environmental sealing, limiting use in harsh climates.

Olympus E P3 front Olympus E P3 screen back Sony RX10 II front Sony RX10 II screen back

However, Olympus benefits from a wider selection of dedicated landscape lenses, ranging from ultra-wide to telephoto, many with excellent sharpness and restrained distortion. Sony’s 24-200mm zoom is versatile, but while sharp generally, it shows slight softness in corners, especially at wider apertures.

Wildlife and Sports: Autofocus Speed and Burst Performance

Capturing wildlife or fast sports action demands rapid, accurate autofocus and high continuous shooting rates to freeze unpredictable moments.

While the Olympus E-P3 uses a contrast-detection AF system with 35 focus points, its maximum continuous shooting speed is a modest 3 fps - not ideal for fast-moving subjects. The AF tracking works but is limited by this slower burst rate and lag in continuous autofocus adjustments.

Sony’s RX10 II, despite its older contrast-detect AF system, achieves a much faster 14 fps burst shooting with continuous autofocus, a remarkable feat for an integrated bridge camera. Its 25 AF points, face and eye detection, and ability to pre-focus contribute to higher keeper rates for action sequences.

The RX10 II’s constant f/2.8 zoom lens also benefits telephoto wildlife shots, delivering extra reach with sharpness and built-in optical image stabilization to reduce shake at long focal lengths.

Street Photography: Discretion and Portability

For street photographers, discretion, ease of use, and portability take precedence, alongside good low-light performance.

Olympus E-P3 excels here thanks to its compact, almost pocketable size and silent operation modes. Its rangefinder styling and minimalist shutter sound help blend into urban scenes unnoticed.

Sony RX10 II, with its larger body and lens length, is more conspicuous and less suited to candid street shooting, although it has silent electronic shutter capabilities to minimize disturbance.

Due to its superior ISO performance relative to earlier compact models, Sony does manage well in indoor or night street conditions, but the Olympus’s smaller sensor and lens choices still provide excellent candid shooting flexibility.

Macro Photography: Magnification and Focusing Precision

Macro work requires precise focusing and stabilization - features neither camera specializes in, but each addresses differently.

The Olympus PEN E-P3 depends on compatible macro lenses from its extensive Micro Four Thirds system. Many lenses afford 1:1 magnification coupled with optical image stabilization (sensor-based in the E-P3), critical for handheld close-ups. However, lack of focus stacking or bracketing limits advanced macro work.

Sony’s RX10 II leverages its 3cm minimum focus distance and built-in optical stabilization to allow surprisingly close shooting flexibility, delivering effective 1:2 to 1:3 reproduction ratios without changing lenses. This versatility is attractive for casual macro but doesn’t replace dedicated macro optics.

Night and Astro Photography: ISO Performance and Exposure Modes

Low light and astrophotography stress a camera's sensor and noise handling, alongside manual exposure capability.

Olympus’s capped maximum shutter speed of 1/4000s and ISO 12800 limit flexibility for star trails or deep night exposures, plus lack of silent shutter modes can lead to vibrations. Sensor noise is evident past ISO 1600 in my long exposure tests, requiring noise reduction software.

Sony’s RX10 II shines here with electronic shutter speeds up to 1/32000s (enabling daytime long exposures with ND filters), extended ISO to 25600, and excellent high-ISO noise control courtesy of BSI sensor technology. Its 4K video capability also supports astro time-lapses professionally.

While neither camera offers star-tracking or built-in intervalometers, both handle manual bulb exposures well with external remotes.

Video Capabilities: Resolution, Stabilization, Audio

For artists blending video and photography, the differences become stark.

Olympus E-P3 offers full HD 1080p at 60fps, encoded in AVCHD and Motion JPEG formats. Stabilization is sensor-based and modestly effective. However, it lacks a microphone or headphone jack, reducing audio versatility.

Sony RX10 II provides 4K UHD video at 30p (XAVC S codec), superior slow-motion capture, and built-in optical stabilization. Importantly, it includes microphone and headphone ports, catering well to hybrid shooters prioritizing sound quality and monitoring.

Travel Photography: Versatility and Battery Life

Travel shooters appreciate cameras that marry image quality, compactness, battery longevity, and lens flexibility.

The Olympus E-P3 is exceptional for light travel due to its small size (369g) and access to a vast Micro Four Thirds lens lineup. While battery life is rated to 330 shots - adequate but improved by carrying spares - the absence of wireless connectivity hinders instant sharing compared to modern standards.

Sony RX10 II, though twice the weight, spans a huge focal range in a single lens - ideal for those who dislike swapping lenses mid-trip. It offers improved battery life (~400 shots) and wireless NFC for rapid image transfer.

Professional Use and Workflow Integration

Neither camera targets the pro studio or press market explicitly, but each supports advanced workflows in its niche.

Olympus E-P3 shoots RAW files and supports manual exposure, but lacks tethering or robust weather sealing needed for demanding professional environments.

Sony RX10 II’s robust build with weather sealing, high-resolution sensor, and more extensive video/audio options edge it towards multimedia professionals, though its fixed lens limits optical customization.

Summing Up: Who Should Buy Which?

To help synthesize this wealth of information, here’s a balanced view on who should consider each camera.

Choose the Olympus E-P3 if:

• You want a lightweight, highly portable mirrorless body for street, travel, or casual portraits.
• You value access to a broad variety of Micro Four Thirds lenses for creative flexibility.
• Your budget is tight or you prioritize distinctive skin tones and classic mirrorless ergonomics.
• You don’t need 4K video or advanced autofocus burst performance.

Choose the Sony RX10 II if:

• You want an all-in-one superzoom with excellent image quality and 4K video.
• You often shoot wildlife, sports, or landscape needing fast autofocus and high resolution.
• Weather sealing and robust build hold importance.
• Video recording with external mic/headphone jacks is a priority.
• You value the convenience of a fixed lens with a very fast f/2.8 apertures throughout the range.

Technical Specs Recap

Final Thoughts From the Field

Having extensively tested both cameras across diverse environments, I lean toward recommending the Sony RX10 II for photographers who need an all-in-one powerhouse with excellent image quality, superzoom convenience, and advanced video features. Its strengths shine in wildlife, sports, landscapes, and hybrid photo-video workflows.

Meanwhile, the Olympus E-P3 remains a compelling choice for those craving compactness, lens flexibility, and beautiful color rendition - excellent for portraits, street, and travel photography where discretion and portability trump raw specs.

Both cameras have aged gracefully given their release window but reflect dramatically different design priorities. None is outright "better" without context - your shooting style, genre preferences, and budget will determine which camera serves you better.

Whatever your choice, I recommend pairing these insights with hands-on trials where possible. Camera handling remains deeply personal and the final arbiter of a successful match between artist and tool.

If you want a compact mirrorless with classic Italian styling and ease, the Olympus PEN E-P3 is a worthy companion. For a near-DSLR experience with incredible reach and video, the Sony RX10 II cannot be beaten in its class.

Happy shooting!