Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony NEX-3N

Below is a in depth comparison of the Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony NEX-3N, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by brands Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the E-PL2 (12MP) and NEX-3N (16MP) and the E-PL2 (Four Thirds) and NEX-3N (APS-C) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL2 was launched 24 months prior to the NEX-3N which makes them a generation apart from one another. The two cameras feature the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before going straight to a detailed comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-PL2 matches up against the NEX-3N in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL2 and Sony Alpha NEX-3N. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL2 Gallery and Sony NEX-3N Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL2 enjoys outside measurements of 114mm x 72mm x 42mm (4.5" x 2.8" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 362 grams (0.80 lbs) while the Sony NEX-3N has measurements of 110mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.4") accompanied by a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

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

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at the time. Underneath is a front view size comparison of the E-PL2 versus the NEX-3N.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL2 and NEX-3N is 85 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very tough to visualise the difference between sensor measurements just by looking at technical specs. The graphic here might provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL2 and NEX-3N.

As you can tell, both of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PL2 because of its tinier sensor will make getting bokeh trickier and the Sony NEX-3N will give you extra detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The older E-PL2 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.