Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony NEX-7

In this article, we are comparing the Olympus E-PL3 versus Sony NEX-7, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and NEX-7 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL3 was brought out 2 months prior to the NEX-7 so they are both of a similar age. Both cameras offer the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before we go straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the E-PL3 scores versus the NEX-7 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Sony Alpha NEX-7. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL3 has exterior measurements 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 NEX-7 has dimensions of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

See the Olympus E-PL3 versus Sony NEX-7 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you select during that time. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the NEX-7.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL3 and NEX-7 is 88 and 84 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to visualise the difference in sensor measurements simply by looking through technical specs. The photograph below will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and NEX-7.

As you can tell, each of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL3 featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting bokeh harder and the Sony NEX-7 will provide you with extra detail having its extra 12MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos far more aggressively.