Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus TG-3

Below is a detailed review of the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus TG-3, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Waterproof and both of them are built by Olympus. There exists a huge gap among the image resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and TG-3 (16MP) and the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and TG-3 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL2 was released 4 years prior to the TG-3 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus TG-3 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick summation of how the E-PL2 grades vs the TG-3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Olympus Tough TG-3. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Olympus TG-3 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL2 offers exterior measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") with a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) whilst the Olympus TG-3 has dimensions of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") and a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL2 vs Olympus TG-3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the E-PL2 and the TG-3.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL2 and TG-3 is 85 and 90 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements only by viewing specs. The graphic here will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL2 and TG-3.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL2 due to its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Olympus TG-3 will result in extra detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics way more aggressively. The older E-PL2 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.