Nikon W150 vs Olympus E-PL3

The Nikon Coolpix W150 and the Olympus PEN E-PL3 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in April 2019 and June 2011. The W150 is a fixed lens compact, while the E-PL3 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/3.1-inch (W150) and a Four Thirds (E-PL3) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 13 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.

Headline Specifications

Nikon W150		Olympus E-PL3
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
30-90mm f/3.3-5.9		Micro Four Thirds lenses
13 MP – 1/3.1" sensor		12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 125-1,600		ISO 200-12,800
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Viewfinder optional
2.7" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
4.7 shutter flaps per second		5.5 shutter flaps per second
no shake reduction		In-body stabilization
Waterproof body (10m)		not weather sealed
220 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
110 x 67 x 38 mm, 177 g		110 x 64 x 37 mm, 313 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Coolpix W150 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon W150 and the Olympus E-PL3 is provided 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 width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The W150 can be obtained in five different colors (blue, orange, white, flower, resort), while the E-PL3 is available in four color-versions (black, silver, red, white).

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 somewhat smaller (4 percent) than the Nikon W150. It is worth mentioning in this context that the W150 is splash and dust resistant, while the E-PL3 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing. More than that, the W150 is water-proof up to 10m and can, thus, be used for underwater photography.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the W150 has a lens built in, whereas the E-PL3 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the E-PL3 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

The power pack in the W150 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon W150	110 mm	67 mm	38 mm	177 g	220	Y	Apr 2019	EUR 199	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PL3	110 mm	64 mm	37 mm	313 g	300	n	Jun 2011	EUR 549	ebay.com
3.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
4.		Nikon A1000	114 mm	72 mm	41 mm	330 g	250	n	Jan 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
5.		Nikon B600	122 mm	82 mm	99 mm	500 g	280	n	Jan 2019	EUR 359	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	EUR 1 099	amazon.com
7.		Nikon W300	112 mm	66 mm	29 mm	231 g	280	Y	May 2017	EUR 449	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P3	122 mm	69 mm	34 mm	369 g	330	n	Jun 2011	EUR 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL1	115 mm	72 mm	42 mm	334 g	290	n	Feb 2010	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL2	114 mm	72 mm	42 mm	362 g	280	n	Jan 2011	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PM1	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	265 g	330	n	Jun 2011	EUR 449	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic FT7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	EUR 429	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh WG-6	118 mm	66 mm	33 mm	246 g	340	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 399	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	123 mm	62 mm	30 mm	193 g	300	Y	Oct 2018	EUR 249	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	59 mm	41 mm	30 mm	110 g	240	Y	Aug 2017	EUR 849	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	59 mm	41 mm	35 mm	132 g	240	Y	Mar 2019	EUR 799	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The W150 was launched at a lower price than the E-PL3, despite having a lens built in. 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 tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon W150 features a 1/3.1-inch sensor and the Olympus E-PL3 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-PL3 is 1306 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 7.4 and 2.0. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Nikon W150 offers a higher resolution of 13 megapixels, compared with 12.2 MP of the Olympus E-PL3. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.11μm versus 4.29μm for the E-PL3). However, it should be noted that the W150 is much more recent (by 7 years and 9 months) than the E-PL3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the W150 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Nikon Coolpix W150 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 1600. 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon W150	1/3.1	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	22.1	13.8	4058	65
2.		Olympus E-PL3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.9	10.3	499	52
3.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
4.		Nikon A1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
5.		Nikon B600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.7	12.2	1095	52
6.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
7.		Nikon W300	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.5	12.0	938	50
8.		Olympus E-P3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.8	10.1	536	51
9.		Olympus E-PL1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.5	10.1	487	54
10.		Olympus E-PL2	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.4	10.2	573	55
11.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
12.		Olympus E-PM1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	21.0	10.3	499	52
13.		Panasonic FT7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
14.		Ricoh WG-6	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1104	52
15.		Ricoh WG-60	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.6	12.2	1072	51
16.		Sony RX0	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	1080/60p	22.4	12.4	548	68
17.		Sony RX0 II	1-inch	15.4	4800	3200	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	555	65
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the E-PL3 provides a faster frame rate than the W150. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60i, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The W150 and the E-PL3 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. That said, the E-PL3 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-2. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon W150, the Olympus E-PL3, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		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.		Nikon W150	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	4.7/s	Y	n
2.		Olympus E-PL3	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
3.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
4.		Nikon A1000	1166	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon B600	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon W300	none	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-P3	optional	n	3.0 / 614	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-PL1	optional	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-PL2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
12.		Olympus E-PM1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic FT7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Ricoh WG-6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.0/s	Y	n
15.		Ricoh WG-60	none	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX0	none	n	1.5 / 230	fixed	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
17.		Sony RX0 II	none	n	1.5 / 230	tilting	n	..	5.5/s	n	n
Note: *) 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 W150 has one, while the E-PL3 does not. While the built-in flash of the W150 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 W150 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).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the W150 and the E-PL3 write their files to SDXC 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 Nikon Coolpix W150 and Olympus PEN E-PL3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon W150	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Olympus E-PL3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
4.		Nikon A1000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon B600	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon W300	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Olympus E-P3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-PL1	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-PL2	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-PM1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic FT7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Ricoh WG-6	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	3.0	-	-	-
15.		Ricoh WG-60	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX0	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony RX0 II	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the W150 offers wifi support, while the E-PL3 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the W150 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 W150 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the W150 and E-PL3 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon W150 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PL3 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon W150 and the Olympus E-PL3? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Coolpix W150:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the E-PL3 requires a separate lens.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the E-PL3).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Water-proof: Is rugged and sealed and can thus be used for underwater photography (up to 10m).
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 9 months of technical progress since the E-PL3 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus PEN E-PL3:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 230k dots).
• 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.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5.5 vs 4.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (300 versus 220) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• 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 E-PL3 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 12 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 Nikon W150 and the Olympus E-PL3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the W150 or the E-PL3 perform in practice. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon W150	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Apr 2019	EUR 199	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PL3	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	EUR 549	ebay.com
3.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
4.		Nikon A1000	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
5.		Nikon B600	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2019	EUR 359	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	EUR 1 099	amazon.com
7.		Nikon W300	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	May 2017	EUR 449	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-P3	..	83/100	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	EUR 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-PL1	..	86/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-PL2	3/5	83/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2011	EUR 599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PM1	..	86/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	EUR 449	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic FT7	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	May 2018	EUR 429	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh WG-6	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2019	EUR 399	amazon.com
15.		Ricoh WG-60	..	..	..	..	..	..	Oct 2018	EUR 249	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX0	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2017	EUR 849	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX0 II	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	EUR 799	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) 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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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