Olympus E-PM1 vs Sony NEX-F3

Its time to look a bit more in depth at the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony NEX-F3, both Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras by rivals Olympus and Sony. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the E-PM1 (12MP) and NEX-F3 (16MP) and the E-PM1 (Four Thirds) and NEX-F3 (APS-C) have totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PM1 was announced 8 months earlier than the NEX-F3 and they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before going right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short highlight of how the E-PM1 grades vs the NEX-F3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PM1 and Sony Alpha NEX-F3. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM1 Gallery and Sony NEX-F3 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PM1 has outside 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-F3 has dimensions of 117mm x 67mm x 42mm (4.6" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 314 grams (0.69 lbs).

Check the Olympus E-PM1 and Sony NEX-F3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using during that time. The following is a front view measurement comparison of the E-PM1 versus the NEX-F3.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-PM1 and NEX-F3 is 89 and 86 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to envision the difference in sensor measurements merely by looking through technical specs. The visual below will provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-PM1 and NEX-F3.

As you can tell, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-PM1 with its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Sony NEX-F3 will provide you with extra detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older E-PM1 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.