Leica CL vs Olympus E-P3
The Leica CL (Typ 7323) and the Olympus PEN E-P3 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in November 2017 and June 2011. Both the CL and the E-P3 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (CL) and a Four Thirds (E-P3) sensor. The Leica has a resolution of 24.1 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.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Leica CL (Typ 7323) and the Olympus PEN E-P3? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Leica CL and the Olympus E-P3. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The E-P3 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the CL 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-P3 is notably smaller (18 percent) than the Leica CL. Moreover, the E-P3 is markedly lighter (8 percent) than the CL. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the CL nor the E-P3 are weather-sealed.
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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.
Concerning battery life, the CL gets 220 shots out of its Leica BP-DC12 battery, while the E-P3 can take 330 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-5 power pack.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Leica CL | 131 mm | 78 mm | 45 mm | 403 g | 220 | n | Nov 2017 | 2,795 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-P3 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 34 mm | 369 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | 799 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 200D | 122 mm | 93 mm | 70 mm | 453 g | 650 | n | Jun 2017 | 549 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 2000D | 129 mm | 101 mm | 78 mm | 475 g | 500 | n | Feb 2018 | 449 | amazon.com | |
5. | Canon M6 | 112 mm | 68 mm | 45 mm | 390 g | 295 | n | Feb 2017 | 779 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon M50 | 116 mm | 88 mm | 59 mm | 390 g | 235 | n | Feb 2018 | 779 | ebay.com | |
7. | Fujifilm X-A5 | 117 mm | 68 mm | 40 mm | 361 g | 450 | n | Jan 2018 | 399 | ebay.com | |
8. | Fujifilm X-E3 | 121 mm | 74 mm | 43 mm | 337 g | 350 | n | Sep 2017 | 899 | ebay.com | |
9. | Fujifilm X100F | 127 mm | 75 mm | 52 mm | 469 g | 390 | n | Jan 2017 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Leica C-LUX | 113 mm | 67 mm | 46 mm | 340 g | 370 | n | Jun 2018 | 1,049 | ebay.com | |
11. | Leica TL | 134 mm | 69 mm | 33 mm | 384 g | 400 | n | Nov 2016 | 1,695 | ebay.com | |
12. | Leica TL2 | 134 mm | 69 mm | 33 mm | 399 g | 250 | n | Jul 2017 | 1,950 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-P1 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Jun 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-P2 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Nov 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-PL1 | 115 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 334 g | 290 | n | Feb 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus E-PL2 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 362 g | 280 | n | Jan 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Olympus E-PL3 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 37 mm | 313 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | 599 | 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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The E-P3 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 71 percent) than the CL, 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.
Sensor comparison
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 Leica CL features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-P3 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-P3 is 39 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.0. The sensor in the CL has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-P3 offers a 4:3 aspect.
With 24.1MP, the CL offers a higher resolution than the E-P3 (12.2MP), but the CL has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.92μm versus 4.29μm for the E-P3). However, the CL is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 4 months) than the E-P3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the CL has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Leica CL implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the CL for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30.1 x 20.1 inches or 76.4 x 51 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24.1 x 16.1 inches or 61.1 x 40.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.4 inches or 50.9 x 34 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-P3 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 Leica CL (Typ 7323) has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 50000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus PEN E-P3 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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Leica CL | APS-C | 24.1 | 6014 | 4014 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 13.3 | 1788 | 82 | |
2. | Olympus E-P3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.8 | 10.1 | 536 | 51 | |
3. | Canon 200D | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.4 | 1041 | 79 | |
4. | Canon 2000D | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 22.6 | 11.9 | 1009 | 71 | |
5. | Canon M6 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.4 | 12.6 | 1317 | 78 | |
6. | Canon M50 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/24p | 23.8 | 13.3 | 1684 | 81 | |
7. | Fujifilm X-A5 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/15p | 24.0 | 13.3 | 1800 | 82 | |
8. | Fujifilm X-E3 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 23.9 | 13.3 | 1764 | 82 | |
9. | Fujifilm X100F | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.9 | 13.2 | 1704 | 81 | |
10. | Leica C-LUX | 1-inch | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 4K/30p | 22.1 | 12.3 | 481 | 64 | |
11. | Leica TL | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/30p | 23.9 | 13.2 | 1690 | 81 | |
12. | Leica TL2 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6014 | 4014 | 4K/30p | 23.9 | 13.3 | 1753 | 82 | |
13. | Olympus E-P1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.4 | 536 | 55 | |
14. | Olympus E-P2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.4 | 505 | 56 | |
15. | Olympus E-PL1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.1 | 487 | 54 | |
16. | Olympus E-PL2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.2 | 573 | 55 | |
17. | Olympus E-PL3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.9 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the CL provides a higher video resolution than the E-P3. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/60i.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the CL has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-P3 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-P3 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-3. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Leica CL and Olympus E-P3 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. | Leica CL | 2360 | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | n | |
2. | Olympus E-P3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 614 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Canon 200D | optical | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
4. | Canon 2000D | optical | n | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Canon M6 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Canon M50 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Fujifilm X-A5 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Fujifilm X-E3 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | n | |
9. | Fujifilm X100F | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Leica C-LUX | 2330 | n | 3.0 / 1240 | fixed | Y | 1/2000s | 10.0/s | Y | Y | |
11. | Leica TL | optional | n | 3.7 / 1230 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Leica TL2 | optional | n | 3.7 / 1230 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 7.0/s | n | n | |
13. | Olympus E-P1 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Olympus E-P2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | Olympus E-PL1 | optional | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Olympus E-PL2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Olympus E-PL3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that is present on the CL, but is missing on the E-P3 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.
The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the CL is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).
The Leica CL 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.
Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the CL and the E-P3 write their files to SDXC cards. The CL supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the E-P3 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).
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 Leica CL (Typ 7323) and Olympus PEN E-P3 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. | Leica CL | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | - | - | Y | - | - | |
2. | Olympus E-P3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon 200D | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
4. | Canon 2000D | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
5. | Canon M6 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
6. | Canon M50 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
7. | Fujifilm X-A5 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
8. | Fujifilm X-E3 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
9. | Fujifilm X100F | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
10. | Leica C-LUX | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
11. | Leica TL | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
12. | Leica TL2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 3.0 | Y | - | - | |
13. | Olympus E-P1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Olympus E-P2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
15. | Olympus E-PL1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
16. | Olympus E-PL2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Olympus E-PL3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the CL offers wifi support, while the E-P3 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.
Both the CL and the E-P3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-P3 was replaced by the Olympus E-P5, while the CL does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the CL and E-P3 can be found, respectively, in the Leica CL Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-P3 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Leica CL better than the Olympus E-P3 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Arguments in favor of the Leica CL (Typ 7323):
- More detail: Offers more megapixels (24.1 vs 12.2MP) with a 43% higher linear resolution.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
- Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
- More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
- Easier framing: Has an electronic 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 614k dots).
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
- More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale price.
- More modern: Reflects 6 years and 4 months of technical progress since the E-P3 launch.
Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-P3:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- More compact: Is smaller (122x69mm vs 131x78mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (330 versus 220) out of a single battery charge.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (71 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2011).
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the CL is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 7 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Leica CL and the Olympus E-P3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the CL or the E-P3. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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. | Leica CL | .. | .. | 4.2/5 | .. | .. | 4/5 | Nov 2017 | 2,795 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-P3 | .. | 83/100 | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | 799 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 200D | 4/5 | + + | 4/5 | 78/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2017 | 549 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 2000D | 3/5 | o | 3.5/5 | .. | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Feb 2018 | 449 | amazon.com | |
5. | Canon M6 | .. | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2017 | 779 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon M50 | .. | + | 4/5 | 79/100 | .. | 3.5/5 | Feb 2018 | 779 | ebay.com | |
7. | Fujifilm X-A5 | .. | + | 4.1/5 | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Jan 2018 | 399 | ebay.com | |
8. | Fujifilm X-E3 | 4.5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2017 | 899 | ebay.com | |
9. | Fujifilm X100F | 5/5 | + | 3.9/5 | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2017 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
10. | Leica C-LUX | .. | .. | 3.5/5 | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2018 | 1,049 | ebay.com | |
11. | Leica TL | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | Nov 2016 | 1,695 | ebay.com | |
12. | Leica TL2 | 3.5/5 | .. | 3/5 | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Jul 2017 | 1,950 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-P1 | .. | + | .. | 66/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-P2 | 3/5 | + | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-PL1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus E-PL2 | 3/5 | 83/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Olympus E-PL3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The above review scores should be interpreted 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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
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 make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 1200D vs Olympus E-P3
- Canon 1D X vs Leica CL
- Canon 500D vs Olympus E-P3
- Canon 5D Mark II vs Leica CL
- Fujifilm X70 vs Leica CL
- Leica CL vs Leica S Typ 007
- Leica CL vs Panasonic LX15
- Leica CL vs Panasonic TS7
- Leica S Typ 006 vs Olympus E-P3
- Olympus E-P3 vs Ricoh GR IIIx
- Olympus E-P3 vs Samsung NX30
- Olympus E-P3 vs YI M1
Specifications: Leica CL vs Olympus E-P3
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 | Leica CL | Olympus E-P3 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Leica T mount lenses | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
Launch Date | November 2017 | June 2011 |
Launch Price | USD 2,795 | USD 799 |
Sensor Specs | Leica CL | Olympus E-P3 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
Sensor Size | 23.6 x 15.7 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 370.52 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.3 mm | 21.6 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | 2.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 24.1 Megapixels | 12.2 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 6014 x 4014 pixels | 4032 x 3024 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 3.92 μm | 4.29 μm |
Pixel Density | 6.52 MP/cm2 | 5.42 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 1080/60i Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 50,000 ISO | 200 - 12,800 ISO |
Image Processor | Maestro II | TruePic VI |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 51 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 20.8 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 10.1 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 536 |
Screen Specs | Leica CL | Olympus E-P3 |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Viewfinder optional |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.49x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2360k dots | |
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 | 614k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Fixed screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Leica CL | Olympus E-P3 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | no Peaking Feature |
Continuous Shooting | 10 shutter flaps/s | 3 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | up to 1/25000s | no E-Shutter |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | no Intervalometer |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | UHS-II | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Leica CL | Olympus E-P3 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | no USB | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | mini HDMI |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Leica CL | Olympus E-P3 |
Battery Type | Leica BP-DC12 | Olympus BLS-5 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 220 shots per charge | 330 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
131 x 78 x 45 mm (5.2 x 3.1 x 1.8 in) |
122 x 69 x 34 mm (4.8 x 2.7 x 1.3 in) |
Camera Weight | 403 g (14.2 oz) | 369 g (13.0 oz) |
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