Olympus E-PL3 vs Pentax K-S2

Let's take a deeper look at the Olympus E-PL3 vs Pentax K-S2, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Pentax. There is a big difference between the resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and K-S2 (20MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and K-S2 (APS-C) feature different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was unveiled 4 years earlier than the K-S2 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-S2 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a in depth comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the E-PL3 grades against the K-S2 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Pentax K-S2. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Pentax K-S2 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL3 features exterior dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-S2 has measurements of 123mm x 91mm x 73mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.9") with a weight of 678 grams (1.49 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL3 vs Pentax K-S2 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at that moment. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the K-S2.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and K-S2 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to picture the gap between sensor dimensions just by looking at specs. The picture here should give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL3 and K-S2.

All in all, both of these cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more challenging and the Pentax K-S2 will give you more detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs much more aggressively. The more aged E-PL3 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.