Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A100

In this article, we are comparing the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A100, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the A100 (10MP) is very comparable but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and A100 (APS-C) feature different sensor measurements.

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The E-PL3 was announced 5 years after the A100 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going through a more detailed comparison, below is a quick summary of how the E-PL3 grades vs the A100 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Sony A100 Gallery.

In case you're intending to travel with your camera, you should factor in its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL3 provides exterior measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) while the Sony A100 has measurements of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A100 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the E-PL3 vs the A100.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and A100 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions only by checking out specifications. The picture here will help give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and A100.

To sum up, the two cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field harder and the Olympus E-PL3 will provide more detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics a little more aggressively. The more modern E-PL3 provides a benefit in sensor technology.