Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony a3500

Here is a thorough overview of the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony a3500, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by manufacturers Olympus and Sony. The sensor resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the a3500 (20MP) is pretty well matched but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and a3500 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

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The E-PL8 was unveiled 2 years later than the a3500 and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony a3500 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving through a in-depth comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-PL8 matches up versus the a3500 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL8 & Sony Alpha a3500. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery & Sony a3500 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL8 features outer dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) whilst the Sony a3500 has measurements of 128mm x 91mm x 85mm (5.0" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 411 grams (0.91 lbs).

Examine the Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony a3500 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have chosen during that time. Following is the front view size comparison of the E-PL8 versus the a3500.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL8 and a3500 is 86 and 69 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very tough to envision the difference between sensor sizing only by reading through specs. The visual below should give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL8 and a3500.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The E-PL8 having a tinier sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult and the Sony a3500 will give greater detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop shots far more aggressively. The fresher E-PL8 is going to have a benefit in sensor tech.