Olympus E-PL3 vs Olympus SP-620 UZ

Below, we will be looking at the Olympus E-PL3 and Olympus SP-620 UZ, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are built by Olympus. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and SP-620 UZ (16MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and SP-620 UZ (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was revealed 3 months prior to the SP-620 UZ so they are of a similar generation. The two cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SP-620 UZ being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief overview of how the E-PL3 scores against the SP-620 UZ with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Olympus SP-620 UZ. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Olympus SP-620 UZ Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you will need to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL3 comes with outer measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) and the Olympus SP-620 UZ has specifications of 110mm x 74mm x 74mm (4.3" x 2.9" x 2.9") and a weight of 435 grams (0.96 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL3 and Olympus SP-620 UZ in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have at that time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the SP-620 UZ.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL3 and SP-620 UZ is 88 and 78 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to envision the difference between sensor dimensions simply by going over specifications. The pic underneath should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL3 and SP-620 UZ.

To sum up, both cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 using its bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF less difficult and the Olympus SP-620 UZ will deliver extra detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs much more aggressively.