Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A500

Let's look a little more in depth at the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A500, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the A500 (12MP) is very close but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and A500 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL3 was introduced 2 years after the A500 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-PL3 matches up against the A500 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera regularly, you should factor in its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL3 has got physical 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) and the Sony A500 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A500 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you use during that time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL3 versus the A500.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and A500 is 88 and 63 respectively.

Often, its hard to picture the contrast in sensor dimensions only by viewing specs. The pic below will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL3 and A500.

All in all, both the cameras feature the identical MP but different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 comes with the smaller sensor which should make achieving shallow DOF harder. The younger E-PL3 provides an advantage in sensor technology.