Olympus E-3 vs Sony A68
The Olympus E-3 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in October 2007 and November 2015. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-3) and an APS-C (A68) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 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 Olympus E-3 and the Sony Alpha SLT-A68? 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 Olympus E-3 and the Sony A68 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A68 is notably smaller (10 percent) than the Olympus E-3. Moreover, the A68 is markedly lighter (30 percent) than the E-3. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-3 is splash and dust resistant, while the A68 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. 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 E-3 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the A68 can take 540 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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. | Olympus E-3 | 142 mm | 116 mm | 75 mm | 876 g | 750 | Y | Oct 2007 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A68 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 610 g | 540 | n | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon D300 | 147 mm | 114 mm | 74 mm | 925 g | 1000 | Y | Aug 2007 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-5 | 142 mm | 117 mm | 75 mm | 873 g | 750 | Y | Sep 2010 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-600 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 535 g | 500 | n | Aug 2009 | 449 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-620 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 521 g | 500 | n | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-30 | 142 mm | 108 mm | 75 mm | 701 g | 750 | n | Nov 2008 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2008 | 599 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-520 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 535 g | 750 | n | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 435 g | 500 | n | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-510 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 538 g | 750 | n | Mar 2007 | 799 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-1 | 141 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 738 g | 750 | Y | Jun 2003 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
13. | Pentax K-S1 | 121 mm | 93 mm | 70 mm | 558 g | 410 | n | Aug 2014 | 749 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A77 II | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 647 g | 480 | Y | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A6000 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 45 mm | 344 g | 360 | n | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A58 | 129 mm | 95 mm | 78 mm | 492 g | 690 | n | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A77 | 143 mm | 104 mm | 81 mm | 732 g | 470 | Y | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | 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 A68 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 59 percent) than the E-3, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the 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 Olympus E-3 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A68 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the A68 is 63 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the E-3 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A68 offers a 3:2 aspect.
With 24MP, the A68 offers a higher resolution than the E-3 (10MP), but the A68 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.74μm for the E-3). Yet, the A68 is a much more recent model (by 8 years) than the E-3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A68 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A68 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-3 are 18.2 x 13.7 inches or 46.3 x 34.7 cm for good quality, 14.6 x 10.9 inches or 37.1 x 27.8 cm for very good quality, and 12.2 x 9.1 inches or 30.9 x 23.2 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Olympus E-3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha SLT-A68 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (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.
For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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. Of the two cameras under consideration, the A68 offers substantially better image quality than the E-3 (overall score 23 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.5 bits higher color depth, 3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.3 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. | Olympus E-3 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.6 | 10.5 | 571 | 56 | |
2. | Sony A68 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60i | 24.1 | 13.5 | 701 | 79 | |
3. | Nikon D300 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | none | 22.1 | 12.0 | 679 | 67 | |
4. | Olympus E-5 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.6 | 10.5 | 519 | 56 | |
5. | Olympus E-600 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.5 | 10.3 | 541 | 55 | |
6. | Olympus E-620 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.3 | 536 | 55 | |
7. | Olympus E-30 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.4 | 530 | 55 | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.4 | 527 | 56 | |
9. | Olympus E-520 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.4 | 10.4 | 548 | 55 | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.1 | 10.0 | 494 | 51 | |
11. | Olympus E-510 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.2 | 10.0 | 442 | 52 | |
12. | Olympus E-1 | Four Thirds | 4.9 | 2560 | 1920 | none | 20.0 | 9.7 | -145 | 44 | |
13. | Pentax K-S1 | APS-C | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/30p | 23.5 | 13.0 | 1061 | 78 | |
14. | Sony A77 II | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 13.4 | 1013 | 82 | |
15. | Sony A6000 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.1 | 13.1 | 1347 | 82 | |
16. | Sony A58 | APS-C | 19.8 | 5456 | 3632 | 1080/60i | 23.3 | 12.5 | 753 | 74 | |
17. | Sony A77 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.0 | 13.2 | 801 | 78 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The A68 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-3 does not. The highest resolution format that the A68 can use is 1080/60i.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A68 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the E-3 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the E-3 has a higher magnification than the one of the A68 (0.58x vs 0.57x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-3 and Sony A68 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
# | 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. | Olympus E-3 | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Sony A68 | 1440 | Y | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Nikon D300 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
4. | Olympus E-5 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Olympus E-600 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Olympus E-620 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Olympus E-30 | optical | Y | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
9. | Olympus E-520 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Olympus E-510 | optical | n | 2.5 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
12. | Olympus E-1 | optical | Y | 1.8 / 134 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | n | |
13. | Pentax K-S1 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/6000s | 5.4/s | Y | Y | |
14. | Sony A77 II | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A6000 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
16. | Sony A58 | 1440 | n | 2.7 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony A77 | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 921 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | Y | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
The E-3 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the A68 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The E-3 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A68 only has one slot.
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 Olympus E-3 and Sony Alpha SLT-A68 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. | Olympus E-3 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Sony A68 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Nikon D300 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Olympus E-5 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Olympus E-600 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Olympus E-620 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Olympus E-30 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-520 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-510 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-1 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Pentax K-S1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Sony A77 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
15. | Sony A6000 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony A58 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
17. | Sony A77 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-3 (unlike the A68) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the E-3 and the A68 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-3 was replaced by the Olympus E-5, while the A68 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the E-3 and A68 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A68 Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Olympus E-3 better than the Sony A68 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.
Advantages of the Olympus E-3:
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.57x).
- More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 540) on a single battery charge.
- Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
- 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.
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in October 2007).
Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A68:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 58%.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (23 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.5 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (3 EV of extra DR).
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60i video.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 230k dots).
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 266g or 30 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (59 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 8 years of technical progress since the E-3 launch.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A68 emerges as the winner of the match-up (12 : 10 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 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 Olympus E-3 and the Sony A68 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing 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 E-3 or the A68 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.
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. | Olympus E-3 | .. | 88/100 | .. | + + | o | 4/5 | Oct 2007 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A68 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2015 | 699 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon D300 | .. | + + | .. | + + | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2007 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-5 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2010 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-600 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | Aug 2009 | 449 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-620 | 3/5 | 88/100 | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2009 | 699 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-30 | .. | .. | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Nov 2008 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-420 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2008 | 599 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-520 | .. | 87/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | May 2008 | 699 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-410 | .. | 86/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | 699 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-510 | .. | 89/100 | .. | + + | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2007 | 799 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-1 | .. | .. | .. | + | o | .. | Jun 2003 | 1,699 | ebay.com | |
13. | Pentax K-S1 | 4/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2014 | 749 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A77 II | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | May 2014 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A6000 | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A58 | 3/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2013 | 599 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A77 | 5/5 | 91/100 | .. | 81/100 | .. | 5/5 | Aug 2011 | 1,399 | ebay.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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.
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. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
Specifications: Olympus E-3 vs Sony A68
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 | Olympus E-3 | Sony A68 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Four Thirds lenses | Sony A mount lenses |
Launch Date | October 2007 | November 2015 |
Launch Price | USD 1,699 | USD 699 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-3 | Sony A68 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 23.5 x 15.6 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 366.6 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 28.2 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 10 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3648 x 2736 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.74 μm | 3.91 μm |
Pixel Density | 4.44 MP/cm2 | 6.55 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | 1080/60i Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 3,200 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
Image Processor | TruePic III | BIONZ X |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 56 | 79 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.6 | 24.1 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.5 | 13.5 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 571 | 701 |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-3 | Sony A68 |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.58x | 0.57x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 1440k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | Control Panel |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 2.5inch | 2.7inch |
LCD Resolution | 230k dots | 460k dots |
LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | Tilting screen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-3 | Sony A68 |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/8000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | 8 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 150 000 actuations | 100 000 actuations |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | CF or XD cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Single card slot |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-3 | Sony A68 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | no PC Sync |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | micro HDMI |
Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Olympus E-3 | Sony A68 |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | not weather sealed |
Battery Type | Olympus BLM-1 | Sony NP-FM500H |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 750 shots per charge | 540 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
142 x 116 x 75 mm (5.6 x 4.6 x 3.0 in) |
143 x 104 x 81 mm (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.2 in) |
Camera Weight | 876 g (30.9 oz) | 610 g (21.5 oz) |
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