Olympus E-PL3 vs Pentax W80

Below is a extensive overview of the Olympus E-PL3 and Pentax W80, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the W80 (12MP) is fairly similar but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and W80 (1/2.3") use different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL3 was announced 2 years later than the W80 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax W80 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick view of how the E-PL3 scores against the W80 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Pentax Optio W80. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Pentax W80 Gallery.

For those who are planning to lug around your camera regularly, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL3 enjoys outside 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) whilst the Pentax W80 has specifications of 100mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") with a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL3 and Pentax W80 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are employing during that time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the W80.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and W80 is 88 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements just by reviewing specifications. The photograph here should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and W80.

To sum up, both cameras have got the exact same resolution but different sensor measurements. The E-PL3 offers the larger sensor which should make getting bokeh less difficult. The more modern E-PL3 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.