Olympus E-PM2 vs Olympus Tough-3000

Below, we are looking at the Olympus E-PM2 versus Olympus Tough-3000, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Waterproof and both are produced by Olympus. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-PM2 (16MP) and Tough-3000 (12MP) and the E-PM2 (Four Thirds) and Tough-3000 (1/2.3") possess different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PM2 was launched 3 years after the Tough-3000 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Olympus E-PM2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus Tough-3000 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a quick summary of how the E-PM2 scores versus the Tough-3000 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-PM2 and Olympus Stylus Tough-3000. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-PM2 Gallery and Olympus Tough-3000 Gallery.

If you're looking to travel with your camera regularly, you need to take into account its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PM2 enjoys external dimensions of 110mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Olympus Tough-3000 has sizing of 96mm x 65mm x 23mm (3.8" x 2.6" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-PM2 versus Olympus Tough-3000 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen during that time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the E-PM2 compared to the Tough-3000.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PM2 and Tough-3000 is 89 and 94 respectively.

More often than not, its tough to imagine the gap in sensor dimensions simply by seeing a spec sheet. The image below will offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PM2 and Tough-3000.

Clearly, each of the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The E-PM2 featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Olympus E-PM2 will show more detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images much more aggressively. The more modern E-PM2 provides an edge when it comes to sensor tech.