Olympus E-PL3 vs Olympus VG-145

Following is a in-depth overview of the Olympus E-PL3 versus Olympus VG-145, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Ultracompact and they are both designed by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the VG-145 (14MP) is pretty close but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and VG-145 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was manufactured 2 months after the VG-145 and they are of a similar age. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus VG-145 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting through a full comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-PL3 scores versus the VG-145 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Olympus VG-145. The entire galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Olympus VG-145 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 features external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) while the Olympus VG-145 has sizing of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 120 grams (0.26 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Olympus VG-145 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you select at that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the E-PL3 against the VG-145.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and VG-145 is 88 and 96 respectively.

Typically, it is difficult to see the difference in sensor sizes merely by looking through a spec sheet. The pic below might give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and VG-145.

Clearly, both the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PL3 because of its bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh simpler and the Olympus VG-145 will result in extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs a little more aggressively.