Canon 7D II vs Olympus E-PL3
The Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Olympus PEN E-PL3 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2014 and June 2011. The 7D Mark II is a DSLR, while the E-PL3 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (7D Mark II) and a Four Thirds (E-PL3) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 12.2 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Olympus PEN E-PL3? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparison
The physical size and weight of the Canon 7D II and the Olympus E-PL3 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The E-PL3 can be obtained in four different colors (black, silver, red, white), while the 7D Mark II is only available in black.



If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-PL3 is considerably smaller (58 percent) than the Canon 7D II. Moreover, the E-PL3 is substantially lighter (66 percent) than the 7D Mark II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 7D Mark II is splash and dust resistant, while the E-PL3 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (7D Mark II) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-PL3). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-PL3, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.
Concerning battery life, the 7D Mark II gets 670 shots out of its LP-E6N battery, while the E-PL3 can take 300 images on a single charge of its BLS-5 power pack.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 7D II | 149 mm | 112 mm | 78 mm | 910 g | 670 | Y | Sep 2014 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-PL3 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 37 mm | 313 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | 144 mm | 111 mm | 75 mm | 765 g | 1200 | Y | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
4. | Canon 80D | 139 mm | 105 mm | 79 mm | 730 g | 960 | Y | Feb 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon G3 X | 123 mm | 77 mm | 105 mm | 733 g | 300 | Y | Jun 2015 | 999 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 70D | 139 mm | 104 mm | 79 mm | 755 g | 920 | Y | Jul 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon 6D | 145 mm | 111 mm | 71 mm | 770 g | 1090 | Y | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon 60D | 145 mm | 106 mm | 79 mm | 755 g | 1100 | Y | Aug 2010 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 7D | 148 mm | 111 mm | 74 mm | 860 g | 800 | Y | Sep 2009 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D500 | 147 mm | 115 mm | 81 mm | 860 g | 1240 | Y | Jan 2016 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
11. | Nikon D7100 | 136 mm | 107 mm | 76 mm | 765 g | 950 | Y | Feb 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-PL5 | 111 mm | 64 mm | 38 mm | 325 g | 360 | n | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-P3 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 34 mm | 369 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | 799 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-PL2 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 362 g | 280 | n | Jan 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-PM1 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 34 mm | 265 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus E-PL1 | 115 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 334 g | 290 | n | Feb 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony RX10 II | 129 mm | 88 mm | 102 mm | 813 g | 400 | Y | Jun 2015 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-PL3 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 67 percent) than the 7D Mark II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison
The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 7D II features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-PL3 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-PL3 is 33 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0. The sensor in the 7D Mark II has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-PL3 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 20MP, the 7D Mark II offers a higher resolution than the E-PL3 (12.2MP), but the 7D Mark II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.10μm versus 4.29μm for the E-PL3). However, the 7D Mark II is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 2 months) than the E-PL3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.
The resolution advantage of the Canon 7D II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 7D Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-PL3 are 20.2 x 15.1 inches or 51.2 x 38.4 cm for good quality, 16.1 x 12.1 inches or 41 x 30.7 cm for very good quality, and 13.4 x 10.1 inches or 34.1 x 25.6 cm for excellent quality prints.
The 7D Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Canon EOS 7D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus PEN E-PL3 are ISO 200 to ISO 12800 (no boost).
Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under review, the 7D Mark II provides substantially higher image quality than the E-PL3, with an overall score that is 18 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.5 bits higher color depth, 1.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 7D II | APS-C | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 22.4 | 11.8 | 1082 | 70 | |
2. | Olympus E-PL3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.9 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | Full Frame | 26.0 | 6240 | 4160 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 11.9 | 2862 | 85 | |
4. | Canon 80D | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.2 | 1135 | 79 | |
5. | Canon G3 X | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 21.4 | 12.3 | 521 | 63 | |
6. | Canon 70D | APS-C | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/30p | 22.5 | 11.6 | 926 | 68 | |
7. | Canon 6D | Full Frame | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/30p | 23.8 | 12.1 | 2340 | 82 | |
8. | Canon 60D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.2 | 11.5 | 813 | 66 | |
9. | Canon 7D | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.0 | 11.7 | 854 | 66 | |
10. | Nikon D500 | APS-C | 20.7 | 5568 | 3712 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 14.0 | 1324 | 83 | |
11. | Nikon D7100 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.2 | 13.7 | 1256 | 83 | |
12. | Olympus E-PL5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 889 | 72 | |
13. | Olympus E-P3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.8 | 10.1 | 536 | 51 | |
14. | Olympus E-PL2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.2 | 573 | 55 | |
15. | Olympus E-PM1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 21.0 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
16. | Olympus E-PL1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.1 | 487 | 54 | |
17. | Sony RX10 II | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 4K/30p | 23.0 | 12.6 | 531 | 70 |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 7D Mark II provides a higher frame rate than the E-PL3. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/60i.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the 7D Mark II has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL3 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PL3 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-2. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 7D II and Olympus E-PL3 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 7D II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Olympus E-PL3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.5/s | n | n | |
4. | Canon 80D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Canon G3 X | optional | n | 3.2 / 1620 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 5.9/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Canon 70D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Canon 6D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.5/s | n | n | |
8. | Canon 60D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.3/s | Y | n | |
9. | Canon 7D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Nikon D500 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 2359 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
11. | Nikon D7100 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1229 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Olympus E-PL5 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
13. | Olympus E-P3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 614 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
14. | Olympus E-PL2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Olympus E-PM1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
16. | Olympus E-PL1 | optional | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony RX10 II | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/3200s | 14.0/s | Y | Y | |
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 7D Mark II has one, while the E-PL3 does not. While the built-in flash of the 7D Mark II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The E-PL3 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the 7D Mark II does not have a selfie-screen.The Canon 7D II has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.
The 7D Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the E-PL3 uses SDXC cards. The 7D Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-PL3 only has one slot. The 7D Mark II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the E-PL3 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.
Connectivity comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Olympus PEN E-PL3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 7D II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Olympus E-PL3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
4. | Canon 80D | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
5. | Canon G3 X | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
6. | Canon 70D | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
7. | Canon 6D | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
8. | Canon 60D | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Canon 7D | Y | mono / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Nikon D500 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
11. | Nikon D7100 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-PL5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Olympus E-P3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Olympus E-PL2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Olympus E-PM1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Olympus E-PL1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Sony RX10 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the 7D Mark II has a microphone port, which is missing on the E-PL3. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 7D II (unlike the E-PL3) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 7D Mark II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.
Both the 7D Mark II and the E-PL3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-PL3 was replaced by the Olympus E-PL5, while the 7D Mark II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the 7D Mark II and E-PL3 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 7D II Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PL3 Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 7D II better than the Olympus E-PL3 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II:
- More detail: Offers more megapixels (20 vs 12.2MP) with a 30% higher linear resolution.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (18 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
- Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (1.5 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.5 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1.1 stops ISO advantage).
- Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 5.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (670 versus 300) on a single battery charge.
- Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
- Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
- More modern: Reflects 3 years and 2 months of technical progress since the E-PL3 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus PEN E-PL3:
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- More compact: Is smaller (110x64mm vs 149x112mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 597g or 66 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (67 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2011).
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 7D Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (24 : 8 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 7D II and the Olympus E-PL3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 7D Mark II or the E-PL3. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.
Expert reviews
This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon 7D II | 4.5/5 | + | 3.5/5 | 84/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-PL3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 6D Mark II | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
4. | Canon 80D | 4/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon G3 X | 3.5/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2015 | 999 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 70D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon 6D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon 60D | 5/5 | + | .. | 79/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2010 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 7D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2009 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
10. | Nikon D500 | 5/5 | + + | 4.7/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
11. | Nikon D7100 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-PL5 | 3/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-P3 | .. | 83/100 | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | 799 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-PL2 | 3/5 | 83/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-PM1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus E-PL1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony RX10 II | 5/5 | + + | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2015 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.
- Canon 40D vs Canon 7D II
- Canon 60D vs Olympus E-PL3
- Canon 7D II vs Canon XS
- Canon 7D II vs Fujifilm X-S20
- Canon 7D II vs Nikon D70s
- Canon 7D II vs Nikon D750
- Canon 7D II vs Nikon D7500
- Canon SX720 vs Olympus E-PL3
- Nikon Z7 vs Olympus E-PL3
- Olympus E-PL3 vs Olympus E-PL5
- Olympus E-PL3 vs Panasonic GF7
- Olympus E-PL3 vs Sony RX10 IV
Specifications: Canon 7D II vs Olympus E-PL3
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Canon 7D II | Olympus E-PL3 |
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Canon EF mount lenses | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
Launch Date | September 2014 | June 2011 |
Launch Price | USD 1,799 | USD 599 |
Sensor Specs | Canon 7D II | Olympus E-PL3 |
---|---|---|
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
Sensor Size | 22.4 x 15.0 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 336 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 27 mm | 21.6 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.6x | 2.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 20 Megapixels | 12.2 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 5472 x 3648 pixels | 4032 x 3024 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.10 μm | 4.29 μm |
Pixel Density | 5.94 MP/cm2 | 5.42 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/60p Video | 1080/60i Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 16,000 ISO | 200 - 12,800 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 51,200 ISO | no Enhancement |
Image Processor | DIGIC 6 (Dual) | Truepic VI |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 70 | 52 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 22.4 | 20.9 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.8 | 10.3 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 1082 | 499 |
Screen Specs | Canon 7D II | Olympus E-PL3 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Viewfinder optional |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.63x | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 1040k dots | 460k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Shooting Specs | Canon 7D II | Olympus E-PL3 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Continuous Shooting | 10 shutter flaps/s | 5.5 shutter flaps/s |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | no Intervalometer |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Single card slot |
UHS card support | UHS-I | no |
Connectivity Specs | Canon 7D II | Olympus E-PL3 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | no PC Sync |
USB Connector | USB 3.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | mini HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | no MIC socket |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | no Headphone port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Geotagging | GPS built-in | no internal GPS |
Body Specs | Canon 7D II | Olympus E-PL3 |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | not weather sealed |
Battery Type | LP-E6N | BLS-5 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 670 shots per charge | 300 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
149 x 112 x 78 mm (5.9 x 4.4 x 3.1 in) |
110 x 64 x 37 mm (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.5 in) |
Camera Weight | 910 g (32.1 oz) | 313 g (11.0 oz) |

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