Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony W650

In this write-up, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-PL3 versus Sony W650, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and W650 (16MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and W650 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

The E-PL3 was unveiled 3 months prior to the W650 so they are of a similar generation. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony W650 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the E-PL3 scores versus the W650 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W650. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Sony W650 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL3 features outside measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) while the Sony W650 has sizing of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 124 grams (0.27 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL3 versus Sony W650 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the E-PL3 compared to the W650.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the E-PL3 and W650 is 88 and 96 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to see the difference between sensor dimensions just by reading through a spec sheet. The picture below may provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the E-PL3 and W650.

Clearly, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL3 with its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Sony W650 will give you more detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures far more aggressively.