Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A57

Let's look a little more closely at the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A57, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the E-PL3 (12MP) and A57 (16MP) and the E-PL3 (Four Thirds) and A57 (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL3 was unveiled 11 months earlier than the A57 and they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a complete comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the E-PL3 scores against the A57 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Sony SLT-A57. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL3 Gallery and Sony A57 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera often, you have to consider its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL3 features outer dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 313 grams (0.69 lbs) whilst the Sony A57 has proportions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") along with a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony A57 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL3 and the A57.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL3 and A57 is 88 and 64 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to see the gap between sensor measurements only by reviewing specifications. The photograph underneath should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL3 and A57.

To sum up, both cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The E-PL3 using its tinier sensor will make shooting bokeh harder and the Sony A57 will offer you greater detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will help you crop photos way more aggressively. The older E-PL3 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.