Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony G3

The following is a comprehensive comparison of the Olympus E-PL5 and Sony G3, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a large difference among the resolutions of the E-PL5 (16MP) and G3 (10MP) and the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and G3 (1/2.3") provide different sensor size.

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The E-PL5 was unveiled 3 years after the G3 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony G3 being a Compact camera.

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the E-PL5 scores versus the G3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery & Sony G3 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera regularly, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Olympus E-PL5 provides exterior measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Sony G3 has proportions of 97mm x 59mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 185 grams (0.41 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL5 and Sony G3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that time. The following is a front view size comparison of the E-PL5 versus the G3.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and G3 is 88 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to picture the difference in sensor dimensions just by checking out a spec sheet. The pic here might provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and G3.

Clearly, each of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL5 with its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus E-PL5 will show more detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The fresher E-PL5 provides an edge with regard to sensor technology.