Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A700

Here, we are reviewing the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A700, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL3 (12MP) and the A700 (12MP) is fairly well matched but the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and A700 (APS-C) offer different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL3 was unveiled 3 years after the A700 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple summary of how the E-PL3 scores vs the A700 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. The full galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Sony A700 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera often, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL3 offers physical 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 A700 has measurements of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") and a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A700 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the A700.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL3 and A700 is 88 and 58 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to picture the gap between sensor dimensions simply by reading through a spec sheet. The image below will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and A700.

Clearly, each of these cameras feature the identical megapixel count but different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 offers the tinier sensor which should make obtaining shallower DOF more difficult. The younger E-PL3 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.