Olympus E-PM1 vs Olympus TG-3

In this article, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-PM1 and Olympus TG-3, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Waterproof and both are created by Olympus. There is a sizable difference among the resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and TG-3 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and TG-3 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM1 was revealed 3 years prior to the TG-3 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PM1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus TG-3 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a simple summation of how the E-PM1 scores versus the TG-3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PM1 & Olympus Tough TG-3. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery & Olympus TG-3 Gallery.

In case you're intending to travel with your camera, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PM1 provides exterior dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") along with a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Olympus TG-3 has sizing of 112mm x 66mm x 31mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.2") with a weight of 247 grams (0.54 lbs).

Analyze the Olympus E-PM1 and Olympus TG-3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are utilizing at that time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the E-PM1 and the TG-3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM1 and TG-3 is 89 and 90 respectively.

Often, it can be difficult to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions simply by going through specs. The picture here might give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PM1 and TG-3.

All in all, the two cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM1 with its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field simpler and the Olympus TG-3 will provide greater detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs far more aggressively. The more aged E-PM1 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.