Olympus E-PL3 vs Olympus 8000

In this article, we will be analyzing the Olympus E-PL3 and Olympus 8000, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both designed by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the 8000 (12MP) is pretty close but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and 8000 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL3 was introduced 2 years after the 8000 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus 8000 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a concise overview of how the E-PL3 grades against the 8000 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Olympus Stylus Tough 8000. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Olympus 8000 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL3 offers outer dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Olympus 8000 has proportions of 95mm x 62mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9") with a weight of 182 grams (0.40 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL3 and Olympus 8000 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have at the time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL3 against the 8000.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and 8000 is 88 and 94 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to envision the difference in sensor dimensions merely by researching a spec sheet. The image below should give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL3 and 8000.

Clearly, both the cameras offer the same exact megapixels albeit not the same sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 contains the bigger sensor which will make achieving shallow DOF easier. The more modern E-PL3 will have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.