Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A290

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Sony A290, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the A290 (14MP) is fairly close but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and A290 (APS-C) have different sensor size.

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The E-PL3 was released 16 months after the A290 making them a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise overview of how the E-PL3 scores vs the A290 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Sony A290 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera often, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 offers external dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Sony A290 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL3 versus Sony A290 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select during that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the A290.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL3 and A290 is 88 and 66 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to imagine the difference in sensor sizes only by viewing a spec sheet. The image underneath should offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL3 and A290.

Clearly, both of the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL3 due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Sony A290 will render extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics way more aggressively. The fresher E-PL3 provides an edge in sensor tech.