Olympus E-PL3 vs Olympus SP-600 UZ

Below is a complete assessment of the Olympus E-PL3 versus Olympus SP-600 UZ, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both produced by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the SP-600 UZ (12MP) is relatively similar but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and SP-600 UZ (1/2.3") come with different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL3 was launched 20 months later than the SP-600 UZ which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-600 UZ being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a in depth comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the E-PL3 matches up against the SP-600 UZ with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Olympus SP-600 UZ. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Olympus SP-600 UZ Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL3 enjoys exterior measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) and the Olympus SP-600 UZ has specifications of 110mm x 90mm x 91mm (4.3" x 3.5" x 3.6") with a weight of 455 grams (1.00 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL3 versus Olympus SP-600 UZ in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL3 versus the SP-600 UZ.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL3 and SP-600 UZ is 88 and 69 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to picture the contrast between sensor measurements just by reading a spec sheet. The visual below might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and SP-600 UZ.

As you can see, both of the cameras offer the same exact MP albeit different sensor measurements. The E-PL3 has the bigger sensor which should make achieving shallow DOF less difficult. The more modern E-PL3 should have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.