Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony HX350

In this write-up, we are evaluating the Olympus E-PL3 and Sony HX350, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a considerable gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and HX350 (20MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and HX350 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL3 was released 6 years before the HX350 which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony HX350 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting straight into a full comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-PL3 scores against the HX350 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL3 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX350. The complete galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery & Sony HX350 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to think about its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL3 has got physical 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 HX350 has measurements of 130mm x 93mm x 103mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.1") having a weight of 652 grams (1.44 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL3 and Sony HX350 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with at the time. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the HX350.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and HX350 is 88 and 62 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizes only by checking technical specs. The picture here might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL3 and HX350.

As you can tell, the two cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL3 featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Sony HX350 will give you extra detail as a result of its extra 8MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop images far more aggressively. The more aged E-PL3 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.