Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony RX100 III

In this write-up, we are analyzing the Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony RX100 III, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The resolution of the E-PL5 (16MP) and the RX100 III (20MP) is very similar but the E-PL5 (Four Thirds) and RX100 III (1") enjoy different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PL5 was manufactured 20 months earlier than the RX100 III making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 III being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before diving through a more detailed comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the E-PL5 matches up versus the RX100 III with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus E-PL5 Gallery and Sony RX100 III Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera often, you have to think about its weight and size. The Olympus E-PL5 features external measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) and the Sony RX100 III has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 290 grams (0.64 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL5 vs Sony RX100 III in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select during that time. Below is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL5 compared to the RX100 III.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL5 and RX100 III is 88 and 89 respectively.

Often, it's hard to visualize the difference between sensor measurements just by reviewing specs. The visual here may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL5 and RX100 III.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL5 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Sony RX100 III will deliver greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively. The older E-PL5 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.