Olympus E-PL3 vs. Sony A7R III: A Hands-On Comparison From an Experienced Eye

Choosing a camera can feel like navigating a jungle of specs, acronyms, and hype – especially when you’re comparing two seemingly different beasts: the Olympus E-PL3, a budget-friendly, entry-level mirrorless from 2011, and the Sony A7R III, a professional-grade full-frame powerhouse announced six years later.

Having tested thousands of cameras over 15 years, I know firsthand how specs translate (or don’t) into real-world results. In this detailed head-to-head, I’ll guide you through everything from size and build quality to sensor tech, autofocus performance, and genre-specific uses, all while delivering honest opinions without the gloss. Whether you’re a cheapskate scouting an affordable upgrade or a seasoned pro hunting your next workhorse, this article is for you.

Let’s dive into how these two mirrorless cameras - from opposite ends of the spectrum - really stack up.

Size, Handling & Ergonomics - The Feel Factor (Olympus Wins on Portability)

One of the first things you notice is the form factor. Olympus opted for a rangefinder-style mirrorless design on the E-PL3, producing a compact, lightweight body. The Sony A7R III, on the other hand, is a larger, heftier SLR-style mirrorless.

The Olympus measures roughly 110x64x37 mm and weighs just 313 grams, which means you can stuff it into practically any bag without second-guessing. The smaller size makes it ideal for travel, street photography, and days when you want to travel light. However, the tiny body means clubs for thumbs are scarce - grip bulkiness and button spacing felt lacking during extended handheld shooting.

Sony packs considerably more muscle: 127x96x74 mm body and 657 grams of camera heft. This size translates to a more substantial grip, better control layout, and a sense of rock-solid durability. After long shoots, especially with larger lenses, the sturdier grip reduces hand fatigue and helps stability.

In short: The Olympus is all about convenience and ease for amateurs or casual shooters, while the Sony makes handling more comfortable for pros who spend hours wrangling the rig.

Design and Control Layout - Intuitive or Overwhelming?

The topside control layout is where you see the difference in target user and design philosophy. Let’s take a look:

Olympus E-PL3 keeps things simple, with minimal physical dials - just a mode dial, shutter button, and dedicated exposure compensation. If you’re upgrading from a point-and-shoot, this layout will feel friendly and less intimidating.

Sony A7R III is a more tactile beast, featuring customizable dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation, and two control wheels for aperture and other settings. Extra buttons lend themselves to quick access for frequently toggled features like ISO or autofocus modes - you can tailor the layout extensively.

Those coming from DSLR backgrounds will love the familiarity of the Sony layout. But newcomers may feel slightly overwhelmed until muscle memory kicks in.

Sensor Technology - The Game-Changer in Image Quality

If you only had one feature to decide a camera by, it would almost certainly be sensor performance. It’s the foundation for everything - resolution, dynamic range, low-light usability, noise, and ultimately, print quality.

The Olympus E-PL3 uses a Four Thirds (micro 4/3 sized) 12MP CMOS sensor measuring 17.3 x 13 mm with a crop factor of 2.1x. By comparison, the Sony A7R III packs a massive, high-resolution 42.4MP full-frame BSI-CMOS sensor measuring 35.9 x 24 mm.

What does this mean practically?

• The Sony’s sensor is over 3.8x larger in sensor area and offers 3.5x the megapixel count.
• Larger sensor equals better control over depth of field (awesome creamy bokeh) and significantly better dynamic range.
• The Sony also features a backside-illuminated design, enhancing light-gathering capacity and improving low-light noise performance.
• Olympus’s relatively small sensor means it struggles a bit with noise at ISO above 800, whereas the Sony stays impressively clean even up to ISO 6400 and above.

DXOMark scores reinforce this gap: Olympus scores 52 overall, Sony a whopping 100 (think of it as the difference between a sedan and a sports car).

Bottom line: The Sony A7R III delivers professional-grade image quality that Olympus cannot match. The E-PL3 sensor is good enough for casual use but will struggle with demanding print sizes or low-light shots.

The Rear LCD Screen - Working With Your Images

User interface plays a key role when shooting, especially for trailblazers in the field.

Both cameras have 3-inch tilting LCDs, but Sony’s screen offers a much higher resolution (1,440k dots vs. 460k dots on Olympus). Additionally, the Sony touchscreen functionality is a boon for quick focusing and navigation, things the Olympus lacks.

The Olympus E-PL3’s screen is good enough for framing, but its lower brightness and resolution make reviewing images less pleasant outdoors. The Sony delivers crisp previews, better color fidelity, and intuitive touch responses.

This difference exemplifies how the E-PL3 targets budget/snapshot shooters, while the A7R III suits serious photographers who need precise image review on the go.

Autofocus Performance - Speed, Accuracy, and Intelligence

In the age of AF tech, quick, reliable autofocus can be make-or-break depending on your subjects.

• Olympus E-PL3 uses contrast-detection autofocus with 35 focus points, face detection, and multi-area AF.
• Sony A7R III features a hybrid AF system with 425 phase-detect points covering 93% of the frame and contrast detection fallback.

This results in practical benefits:

• The Olympus AF is decent for portraits and landscapes, but chase fast-moving subjects like wildlife or sports, and it quickly lags behind.
• Sony’s autofocus system offers blazing-fast focus acquisition, smooth continuous AF tracking, and even features reliable animal eye detection - a real advantage for wildlife shooters.

Autofocus tracking in A7R III feels more dependable in low light and higher burst modes. Olympus can hunt and hesitate under those conditions.

Burst and Buffer - Catching the Action

Burst rate and buffer depth are crucial for sports and wildlife photographers who need to catch split-second moments.

• Olympus: 6 fps continuous shooting with a limited buffer of around 12 JPEGs.
• Sony: 10 fps with full AF/AE tracking and a buffer that can handle over 70 RAW frames.

Sony clearly runs the show for action photography. Olympus suits slower-paced shooting styles where rapid-fire frames aren’t required.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing - Will it Survive the Elements?

If you work outdoors regularly, weather resistance matters.

• Sony A7R III incorporates magnesium alloy chassis and sealed buttons/dials for moisture and dust resistance.
• Olympus E-PL3 does not offer any environmental sealing; plastic body panels mean it’s less rugged.

I’ve taken the A7R III into the wilderness on damp mornings without a worry. Olympus owners, you’ll want an additional rain cover or indoor situations to avoid damage.

Lens Ecosystem - Your Glass is Your Arsenal

Both cameras use different mounts:

• Olympus E-PL3: Micro Four Thirds lenses (107 native lenses available)
• Sony A7R III: Sony E-mount (121 native lenses)

Despite Sony having more lenses, the difference is nuanced:

• Micro Four Thirds lenses tend to be smaller and lighter, great for portability.
• Sony lenses especially for full-frame, are typically larger and more expensive, but they cover extensive focal lengths and can be professional-grade quality.
• Also consider 3rd party support: Sony’s E-mount enjoys robust support from Sigma, Tamron, and Zeiss, giving excellent options for varied budgets and purposes.

For users prioritizing compactness, Olympus has a good range. Pros needing ultimate image quality or specialty lenses will prefer Sony.

Battery Life and Storage - No Surprises Here

Battery life can disrupt your shoot if you aren’t prepared.

• Olympus BLS-5 battery: Approximately 300 shots per charge.
• Sony NP-FZ100 battery: Around 650 shots per charge.

Sony’s newer battery technology nearly doubles shooting time, essential for travel or extended studio work.

Storage-wise, Sony offers dual SD cards with UHS-II support on one slot, providing redundancy or overflow options - key for pros. Olympus has a single SD slot.

Connectivity and Video Features - Ready for Today’s Content Creators?

When I test cameras, I consider their utility beyond stills.

• Olympus E-PL3 lacks any wireless connectivity - no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NFC.
• Sony A7R III has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC, enabling seamless image transfer, remote control apps, and geotagging integrations.

Video-wise:

• Olympus shoots Full HD 1080p at up to 60fps but with no external microphone input.
• Sony steps it up to 4K UHD at 30fps with advanced codecs, along with microphone and headphone jacks for professional audio monitoring.

Video enthusiasts and hybrid shooters will appreciate the A7R III’s capabilities. Olympus falls short here.

How Do They Perform Across Photography Genres?

Let’s go deeper. Here’s a performance breakdown across popular photography disciplines:

Olympus E PL3 screen back Sony A7R III front Sony A7R III screen back

Overall Performance and Ratings

Bringing all tests together, here’s how the cameras rank on a scale of 0 to 100:

• Olympus E-PL3 scores around 52 - respectable for its age and class.
• Sony A7R III achieves a near-perfect 100, a benchmark for full-frame mirrorless.

Genre-Specific Scores – What Shines Where?

To break it down into real-life photographic scenarios:

Sony dominates all high-demand areas (wildlife, sports, low light), while Olympus holds ground in portability-related fields like street and travel photography.

Pros and Cons Summary

Olympus E-PL3 Pros:

• Compact and lightweight
• Simple, beginner-friendly interface
• Decent image quality for casual use
• Sensor-based image stabilization
• Affordable price point (~$400 new used)

Olympus E-PL3 Cons:

• Small Four Thirds sensor limits image quality
• Slow contrast-detection AF system
• No weather sealing
• Low-resolution LCD with no touchscreen
• No wireless or video pro features
• Single card slot and limited battery life

Sony A7R III Pros:

• High-resolution 42.4MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor
• Superb image quality with dynamic range and noise control
• Fast and accurate hybrid autofocus with eye and animal eye detection
• 10 fps burst with large buffer
• 5-axis in-body image stabilization
• Weather-sealed, robust build
• 4K video with professional inputs
• Dual card slots and excellent battery life
• Full wireless connectivity and touchscreen LCD

Sony A7R III Cons:

• Larger and heavier body
• More expensive (~$2800 body only)
• Lens investment can be significant
• Complexity for beginners

Final Verdict - Who Should Buy Which?

Having tested these cameras side by side in studio and on location, the choice boils down to your photographic priorities and budget.

Buy Olympus E-PL3 if:

• You’re a casual shooter, beginner or hobbyist on a budget.
• Portability and ease-of-use trump absolute image quality.
• You mainly shoot daylight scenes, portraits, or casual travel snaps.
• Video and advanced connectivity aren’t critical.
• You prefer a simple, compact system with a vast range of affordable micro 4/3 lenses.

Buy Sony A7R III if:

• You’re a serious enthusiast or professional demanding top-notch image quality.
• You shoot action, wildlife, sports, or require high ISO performance.
• Video is a key part of your workflow.
• You want weather resistance and a tough build.
• You can invest in lenses and appreciate pro-level controls and customization.
• Hybrid shoots requiring flawless autofocus and 4K video are your priority.

Wrapping Up My Hands-On Take

Having put my hands (and lenses) through thousands of shoots, I appreciate each camera for what it represents in photographic history and user needs. The Olympus E-PL3 is a solid performer for what it offers - a lightweight, no-fuss entry point to interchangeable lens photography that still holds value for budget-conscious novices.

The Sony A7R III remains one of the best all-rounders in the full-frame mirrorless world, blending image quality, speed, video, and reliability into a package fit for professionals and serious hobbyists. It’s not for those seeking a pocketable grab-and-go, but if your quest is ultimate image fidelity and performance, it’s hard to beat.

Hopefully, this comparison empowers you to make an informed choice aligned with your own shooting style, ambitions, and wallet. Happy shooting!

Further Resources

If you want to dig deeper into individual test results or read user reviews, I recommend checking trusted review sites and forums for the latest feedback and firmware updates that can affect performance.

Feel free to drop your questions or experiences below - I’m happy to offer personalized advice based on my extensive lab and field experience.

Safe travels and sharp snaps!