Olympus E-PL3 vs Pentax K20D

Below is a comprehensive review of the Olympus E-PL3 versus Pentax K20D, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the K20D (15MP) is relatively comparable but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and K20D (APS-C) possess different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was introduced 3 years later than the K20D and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K20D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a short introduction of how the E-PL3 grades against the K20D when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Pentax K20D. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Pentax K20D Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you have to factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 features exterior 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 Pentax K20D has sizing of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") and a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Pentax K20D in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the K20D.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and K20D is 88 and 59 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to picture the contrast in sensor measurements purely by seeing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL3 and K20D.

Clearly, both of the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL3 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax K20D will provide extra detail using its extra 3 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs much more aggressively. The younger E-PL3 provides a benefit in sensor tech.