Olympus E-510 vs E-PL3

The Olympus E-510 and the Olympus PEN E-PL3 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2007 and June 2011. The E-510 is a DSLR, while the E-PL3 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-510 has a resolution of 10 megapixels, whereas the E-PL3 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

Olympus E-510		Olympus E-PL3
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Four Thirds lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
10 MP – Four Thirds sensor		12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 200-12,800
Optical viewfinder		Viewfinder optional
2.5" LCD – 215k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
3 shutter flaps per second		5.5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
750 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
136 x 92 x 68 mm, 538 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 Olympus E-510 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 Olympus E-510 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-PL3 can be obtained in four different colors (black, silver, red, white), while the E-510 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 (44 percent) than the Olympus E-510. Moreover, the E-PL3 is substantially lighter (42 percent) than the E-510. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-510 nor the E-PL3 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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-510) 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 E-510 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the E-PL3 can take 300 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-5 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PL3	110 mm	64 mm	37 mm	313 g	300	n	Jun 2011	599	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-30	142 mm	108 mm	75 mm	701 g	750	n	Nov 2008	1,299	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-400	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Sep 2006	699	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-410	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	435 g	500	n	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-600	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	535 g	500	n	Aug 2009	449	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-P1	121 mm	70 mm	36 mm	355 g	300	n	Jun 2009	799	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-P3	122 mm	69 mm	34 mm	369 g	330	n	Jun 2011	799	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL1	115 mm	72 mm	42 mm	334 g	290	n	Feb 2010	599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL2	114 mm	72 mm	42 mm	362 g	280	n	Jan 2011	599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-PM1	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	265 g	330	n	Jun 2011	499	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 E-PL3 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the E-510, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Technology-wise, the E-PL3 uses a more advanced image processing engine (Truepic VI) than the E-510 (TruePic III), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-PL3 offers a higher resolution of 12.2 megapixels, compared with 10 MP of the E-510. This megapixels advantage translates into a 11 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-PL3 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.29μm versus 4.74μm for the E-510). However, it should be noted that the E-PL3 is much more recent (by 4 years and 3 months) than the E-510, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-PL3 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-PL3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 20.2 x 15.1 inches or 51.2 x 38.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 16.1 x 12.1 inches or 41 x 30.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 13.4 x 10.1 inches or 34.1 x 25.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-510 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-510 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52
2.		Olympus E-PL3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.9	10.3	499	52
3.		Olympus E-30	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.4	530	55
4.		Olympus E-400	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
5.		Olympus E-410	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.1	10.0	494	51
6.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
7.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
8.		Olympus E-600	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.5	10.3	541	55
9.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
10.		Olympus E-P1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.4	10.4	536	55
11.		Olympus E-P3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.8	10.1	536	51
12.		Olympus E-PL1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.5	10.1	487	54
13.		Olympus E-PL2	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.4	10.2	573	55
14.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
15.		Olympus E-PM1	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	21.0	10.3	499	52
16.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
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 E-PL3 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-510 does not. The highest resolution format that the E-PL3 can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-510 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-510 and Olympus E-PL3 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Olympus E-PL3	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
3.		Olympus E-30	optical	Y	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Olympus E-400	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Olympus E-410	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
7.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-600	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-P1	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	Y
11.		Olympus E-P3	optional	n	3.0 / 614	fixed	Y	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Olympus E-PL1	optional	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Olympus E-PL2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
15.		Olympus E-PM1	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
16.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	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 E-510 has one, while the E-PL3 does not. While the built-in flash of the E-510 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The E-510 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the E-PL3 uses SDXC cards. The E-510 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-PL3 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-510 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.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-PL3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Olympus E-30	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Olympus E-400	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Olympus E-410	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Olympus E-600	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-P1	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-P3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-PL1	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-PL2	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Olympus E-PM1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both the E-510 and the E-PL3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-510 was replaced by the Olympus E-520, while the E-PL3 was followed by the Olympus E-PL5. Further information on the features and operation of the E-510 and E-PL3 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-510 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PL3 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-510 and the Olympus E-PL3? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-510:

• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 300) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• 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 March 2007).

Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PL3:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (12.2 vs 10MP), which boosts linear resolution by 11%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (Truepic VI vs TruePic III).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60i video.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 215k 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 burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5.5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (110x64mm vs 136x92mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 225g or 42 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 3 months of technical progress since the E-510 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-PL3 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 5 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 Olympus E-510 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-510 or the E-PL3 perform in practice. 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 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-PL3	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	599	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-30	..	..	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2008	1,299	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-400	..	85/100	..	..	4/5	4/5	Sep 2006	699	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-410	..	86/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	699	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	699	ebay.com
8.		Olympus E-600	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	449	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-P1	..	+	..	66/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2009	799	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-P3	..	83/100	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	799	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL1	..	86/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL2	3/5	83/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2011	599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	599	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-PM1	..	86/100	..	71/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2011	499	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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.

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