Olympus E-PL1 vs Sony NEX-F3

In this write-up, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony NEX-F3, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL1 (12MP) and NEX-F3 (16MP) and the E-PL1 (Four Thirds) and NEX-F3 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL1 was manufactured 3 years before the NEX-F3 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before we go in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a short overview of how the E-PL1 scores against the NEX-F3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL1 and Sony Alpha NEX-F3. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL1 Gallery and Sony NEX-F3 Gallery.

For those who are intending to travel with your camera regularly, you will need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL1 enjoys exterior dimensions of 115mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") having a weight of 334 grams (0.74 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-F3 has dimensions of 117mm x 67mm x 42mm (4.6" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 314 grams (0.69 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL1 versus Sony NEX-F3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the E-PL1 compared to the NEX-F3.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL1 and NEX-F3 is 86 and 86 respectively.

More often than not, its difficult to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions purely by reading through a spec sheet. The pic here will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL1 and NEX-F3.

As you can see, each of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL1 due to its tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field trickier and the Sony NEX-F3 will give you greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged E-PL1 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.