Olympus E-PL3 vs Olympus TG-3

Its time to take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Olympus TG-3, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Waterproof and both of them are offered by Olympus. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and TG-3 (16MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and TG-3 (1/2.3") use different sensor size.

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The E-PL3 was unveiled 3 years prior to the TG-3 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus TG-3 being a Compact camera.

Before delving in to a detailed comparison, below is a concise summation of how the E-PL3 scores vs the TG-3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Olympus Tough TG-3. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Olympus TG-3 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera often, you have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL3 offers external measurements 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-3 has measurements of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") having a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL3 versus Olympus TG-3 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use during that time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PL3 vs the TG-3.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and TG-3 is 88 and 90 respectively.

Normally, it is hard to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions merely by looking at specifications. The pic underneath should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL3 and TG-3.

To sum up, both cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 with its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Olympus TG-3 will give greater detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots much more aggressively. The more aged E-PL3 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.