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Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000

Portability
85
Imaging
48
Features
47
Overall
47
Olympus PEN E-PL2 front
 
Olympus Stylus Tough-3000 front
Portability
94
Imaging
35
Features
26
Overall
31

Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 Key Specs

Olympus E-PL2
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 362g - 114 x 72 x 42mm
  • Announced February 2011
  • Succeeded the Olympus E-PL1s
  • Replacement is Olympus E-PL3
Olympus Tough-3000
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 64 - 1600
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-102mm (F3.5-5.1) lens
  • 159g - 96 x 65 x 23mm
  • Launched January 2010
  • Other Name is mju Tough 3000
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Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 Overview

Below, we will be looking at the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Waterproof and they are both designed by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL2 (12MP) and the Tough-3000 (12MP) is pretty well matched but the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and Tough-3000 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL2 was announced 14 months later than the Tough-3000 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a full comparison, below is a brief summary of how the E-PL2 matches up vs the Tough-3000 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Olympus E-PL2 over the Olympus Tough-3000

 E-PL2 Tough-3000 
LaunchedFebruary 2011January 2010Fresher by 14 months
Focus manually More accurate focus
Screen dimension3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution460k230kSharper screen (+230k dot)

Reasons to pick Olympus Tough-3000 over the Olympus E-PL2

 Tough-3000 E-PL2 

Common features in the Olympus E-PL2 and Olympus Tough-3000

 E-PL2 Tough-3000 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen No selfie screen
Touch friendly screen No Touch friendly screen

Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 Physical Comparison

If you're going to carry your camera often, you will have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL2 has got outside dimensions of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) whilst the Olympus Tough-3000 has dimensions of 96mm x 65mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PL2 versus the Tough-3000.

Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 size comparison

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL2 and Tough-3000 is 85 and 94 respectively.

Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 top view buttons comparison

Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 Sensor Comparison

Normally, it is hard to imagine the difference between sensor sizing simply by checking a spec sheet. The photograph below might give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL2 and Tough-3000.

Clearly, the two cameras posses the exact same megapixels albeit different sensor sizing. The E-PL2 includes the bigger sensor which should make obtaining shallower DOF simpler. The more modern E-PL2 provides an advantage with regard to sensor technology.

Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 sensor size comparison

Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 Screen and ViewFinder

Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Portrait photography highlights
Olympus Tough-3000 Portrait photography highlights
60
focusing manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
has face detection autofocus
supports RAW files
sensor resolution low (12MP)
21
manual focus not available
no manual mode
can't use external flash
low megapixels (12MP)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
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Street Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Street photography information
Olympus Tough-3000 Street photography information
73
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
no moving screen
62
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
environment proof
screen does not articulate
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Sports photography details
Olympus Tough-3000 Sports photography details
45
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
has tracking autofocus
painfully slow continuous shooting (3.0 frames/s)
sensor resolution low (12MP)
low battery pack (280 shots)
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
36
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
includes tracking autofocus
environment proof
low fps (1.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority mode
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Olympus E-PL2
Travel photography with Olympus Tough-3000
51
flash built-in
no Time Lapse function
low battery pack (280 shots)
sensor resolution low (12MP)
screen isn't selfie friendly
61
environment proof
has built in flash
relatively wide (28mm)
no Time Lapse mode
low megapixels (12MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Landscape Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Landscape photography factors
Olympus Tough-3000 Landscape photography factors
61
focusing manually
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
supports RAW files
sensor resolution low (12MP)
low battery pack (280 shots)
no Time Lapse function
35
relatively wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
environment proof
manual focus not available
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
tiny screen (2.7")
no manual mode
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
no Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Olympus E-PL2 Vlogging information
Olympus Tough-3000 Vlogging information
29
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
has face detection autofocus
screen isn't selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 resolution)
no external mic jack
28
relatively wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
display isn't selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 pxls)
no external mic socket
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Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus Tough-3000 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Olympus E-PL2 and Olympus Tough-3000
 Olympus PEN E-PL2Olympus Stylus Tough-3000
General Information
Company Olympus Olympus
Model Olympus PEN E-PL2 Olympus Stylus Tough-3000
Alternate name - mju Tough 3000
Type Entry-Level Mirrorless Waterproof
Announced 2011-02-11 2010-01-07
Physical type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Chip Truepic V TruePic III
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixel 12 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 4:3 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution 4032 x 3024 3968 x 2976
Maximum native ISO 6400 1600
Min native ISO 100 64
RAW photos
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points 11 -
Lens
Lens mount Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 28-102mm (3.6x)
Highest aperture - f/3.5-5.1
Macro focus range - 2cm
Amount of lenses 107 -
Focal length multiplier 2.1 5.9
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display size 3 inch 2.7 inch
Resolution of display 460k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Display technology HyperCrystal LCD AR(Anti-Reflective) coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) None
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60s 4s
Fastest shutter speed 1/4000s 1/2000s
Continuous shutter rate 3.0 frames/s 1.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 10.00 m 4.00 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels) Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Fill-in
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash synchronize 1/160s -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1280x720
Video file format Motion JPEG MPEG-4
Mic port
Headphone port
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 sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 362 grams (0.80 lb) 159 grams (0.35 lb)
Dimensions 114 x 72 x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") 96 x 65 x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score 55 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 21.4 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 10.2 not tested
DXO Low light score 573 not tested
Other
Battery life 280 shots -
Form of battery Battery Pack -
Battery model BLS-5 -
Self timer Yes (2 or 12 sec) Yes (2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse recording
Storage type SD/SDHC SD/SDHC, Internal
Card slots 1 1
Price at release $0 $0