Olympus E-PL9 vs Olympus SH-3

Following is a complete comparison of the Olympus E-PL9 vs Olympus SH-3, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are produced by Olympus. The resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the SH-3 (16MP) is relatively well matched but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and SH-3 (1/2.3") provide different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL9 was introduced 2 years after the SH-3 which is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus SH-3 being a Compact camera.

Before we go straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the E-PL9 scores against the SH-3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus PEN E-PL9 & Olympus Stylus SH-3. The whole galleries are viewable at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery & Olympus SH-3 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL9 offers external dimensions of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") and a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) while the Olympus SH-3 has measurements of 109mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-PL9 vs Olympus SH-3 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the E-PL9 versus the SH-3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PL9 and SH-3 is 85 and 88 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to visualize the difference between sensor sizes purely by checking specs. The picture underneath will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL9 and SH-3.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras provide the same megapixel count albeit different sensor sizes. The E-PL9 uses the bigger sensor which should make obtaining shallower depth of field less difficult. The younger E-PL9 should have a benefit in sensor innovation.