Olympus E-PL3 vs Samsung NX30

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Samsung NX30, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by manufacturers Olympus and Samsung. There is a significant difference among the image resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and NX30 (20MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and NX30 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL3 was released 3 years earlier than the NX30 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Samsung NX30 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short summation of how the E-PL3 matches up versus the NX30 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Samsung NX30. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Samsung NX30 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL3 comes with outside dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Samsung NX30 has specifications of 127mm x 96mm x 58mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.3") along with a weight of 375 grams (0.83 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL3 versus Samsung NX30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use during that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL3 versus the NX30.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and NX30 is 88 and 75 respectively.

Often, it's hard to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions simply by looking through technical specs. The picture below will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL3 and NX30.

As you can tell, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Samsung NX30 will result in more detail as a result of its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-PL3 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.