Olympus E-PL3 vs Olympus TG-2 iHS

On this page, we are looking at the Olympus E-PL3 and Olympus TG-2 iHS, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Waterproof and both are created by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the TG-2 iHS (12MP) is very close but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and TG-2 iHS (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL3 was announced 21 months prior to the TG-2 iHS making them a generation apart from one another. The two cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus TG-2 iHS being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-PL3 scores versus the TG-2 iHS in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Olympus Tough TG-2 iHS. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Olympus TG-2 iHS Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera, you're going to have to factor in 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) while the Olympus TG-2 iHS has proportions of 111mm x 67mm x 29mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.1") along with a weight of 230 grams (0.51 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL3 and Olympus TG-2 iHS in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the E-PL3 and the TG-2 iHS.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and TG-2 iHS is 88 and 91 respectively.

Typically, it is tough to see the difference in sensor sizing merely by researching specs. The photograph here may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL3 and TG-2 iHS.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras have the same megapixel count but not the same sensor sizing. The E-PL3 contains the larger sensor which will make getting shallow depth of field simpler. The older E-PL3 will be behind in sensor technology.