Olympus E-PL3 vs Samsung NX300M

Its time to look more in depth at the Olympus E-PL3 and Samsung NX300M, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by rivals Olympus and Samsung. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and NX300M (20MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and NX300M (APS-C) offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL3 was manufactured 15 months before the NX300M making them a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before going into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the E-PL3 matches up versus the NX300M with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Samsung NX300M. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Samsung NX300M Gallery.

In case you're looking to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 comes with outer measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) and the Samsung NX300M has sizing of 122mm x 64mm x 41mm (4.8" x 2.5" x 1.6") along with a weight of 331 grams (0.73 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL3 and Samsung NX300M in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the NX300M.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and NX300M is 88 and 86 respectively.

In many cases, it can be difficult to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions only by viewing specifications. The picture below should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL3 and NX300M.

Plainly, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Samsung NX300M will render greater detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos more aggressively. The more aged E-PL3 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.