Olympus PEN-F vs Sony NEX-3

Lets look a bit more closely at the Olympus PEN-F versus Sony NEX-3, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a huge difference between the resolutions of the PEN-F (20MP) and NEX-3 (14MP) and the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and NEX-3 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The PEN-F was revealed 5 years later than the NEX-3 and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a simple summation of how the PEN-F grades vs the NEX-3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN-F and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus PEN-F Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera often, you need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus PEN-F enjoys external measurements of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") having a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) while the Sony NEX-3 has dimensions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Examine the Olympus PEN-F versus Sony NEX-3 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have attached at the time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the PEN-F compared to the NEX-3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the PEN-F and NEX-3 is 84 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to see the gap between sensor measurements merely by checking technical specs. The photograph here may provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the PEN-F and NEX-3.

As you can tell, both cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The PEN-F with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Olympus PEN-F will give more detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more modern PEN-F will have an edge with regard to sensor technology.