Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A550

Its time to take a closer look at the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A550, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is very well matched but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and A550 (APS-C) use totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was introduced 22 months later than the A550 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting through a in depth comparison, below is a quick summary of how the E-PL3 grades versus the A550 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A550. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Sony A550 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL3 provides outside dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Sony A550 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A550 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using at that time. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PL3 against the A550.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and A550 is 88 and 63 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to see the gap between sensor measurements merely by looking at specifications. The graphic underneath will give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL3 and A550.

Plainly, each of the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL3 with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony A550 will give you greater detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop pics a little more aggressively. The more recent E-PL3 will have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.