Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony NEX-C3

Below, we will be looking at the Olympus E-PM1 versus Sony NEX-C3, both Entry-Level Mirrorless digital cameras by competitors Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and NEX-C3 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and NEX-C3 (APS-C) possess different sensor dimensions.

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The E-PM1 was announced 4 months after the NEX-C3 and they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras come with the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before delving in to a in depth comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the E-PM1 matches up vs the NEX-C3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Sony Alpha NEX-C3. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Sony NEX-C3 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Olympus E-PM1 enjoys outer dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Sony NEX-C3 has specifications of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PM1 versus Sony NEX-C3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the E-PM1 against the NEX-C3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM1 and NEX-C3 is 89 and 91 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by reading through a spec sheet. The picture below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM1 and NEX-C3.

As you can see, each of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM1 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult and the Sony NEX-C3 will resolve greater detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively.