Olympus E-PL3 vs Olympus 5010

Following is a in depth assessment of the Olympus E-PL3 versus Olympus 5010, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Ultracompact and both are produced by Olympus. The sensor resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the 5010 (14MP) is very similar but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and 5010 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL3 was revealed 21 months after the 5010 making them a generation away from each other. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus 5010 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before delving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summation of how the E-PL3 scores against the 5010 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Olympus Stylus 5010. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Olympus 5010 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL3 enjoys exterior measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) while the Olympus 5010 has measurements of 95mm x 56mm x 20mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.8") and a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL3 versus Olympus 5010 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the 5010.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and 5010 is 88 and 96 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to envision the gap between sensor sizes only by going over specs. The image below should give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and 5010.

All in all, both of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The E-PL3 with its larger sensor will make shooting bokeh simpler and the Olympus 5010 will offer extra detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The younger E-PL3 will have an edge with regard to sensor technology.