Olympus E-PL8 vs Sony RX100 III

In this write-up, we are analyzing the Olympus E-PL8 and Sony RX100 III, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Olympus and Sony. The image resolution of the E-PL8 (16MP) and the RX100 III (20MP) is very well matched but the E-PL8 (Four Thirds) and RX100 III (1") feature totally different sensor size.

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The E-PL8 was brought out 2 years later than the RX100 III and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony RX100 III being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a quick overview of how the E-PL8 grades vs the RX100 III in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III. The entire galleries are available at Olympus E-PL8 Gallery and Sony RX100 III Gallery.

If you're going to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL8 enjoys physical dimensions of 115mm x 67mm x 38mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 1.5") with a weight of 357 grams (0.79 lbs) and the Sony RX100 III has dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") along with a weight of 290 grams (0.64 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL8 and Sony RX100 III in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL8 versus the RX100 III.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL8 and RX100 III is 86 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very hard to visualise the difference between sensor measurements merely by reading through specifications. The visual underneath should offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PL8 and RX100 III.

Plainly, each of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The E-PL8 featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF simpler and the Sony RX100 III will give you greater detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos a little more aggressively. The fresher E-PL8 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.