Olympus PEN-F vs Sony NEX-C3

Let's take a closer look at the Olympus PEN-F vs Sony NEX-C3, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Sony. There is a crucial difference among the resolutions of the PEN-F (20MP) and NEX-C3 (16MP) and the PEN-F (Four Thirds) and NEX-C3 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The PEN-F was launched 4 years after the NEX-C3 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before going right into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the PEN-F scores against the NEX-C3 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN-F and Sony Alpha NEX-C3. The complete galleries are available at Olympus PEN-F Gallery and Sony NEX-C3 Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera, you will want to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Olympus PEN-F provides exterior measurements of 125mm x 72mm x 37mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.5") with a weight of 427 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-C3 has dimensions of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs).

Examine the Olympus PEN-F vs Sony NEX-C3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the PEN-F vs the NEX-C3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the PEN-F and NEX-C3 is 84 and 91 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions only by looking through a spec sheet. The pic underneath should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the PEN-F and NEX-C3.

Clearly, each of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The PEN-F due to its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Olympus PEN-F will provide you with extra detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images way more aggressively. The fresher PEN-F is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.