Olympus E-P3 vs Olympus E-P2 Comparison

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Olympus E-P3

12 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Olympus E-P2

12 MP | Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Olympus E-P3 vs Olympus E-P2 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the Olympus E-P3 with the camera that it replaced, the Olympus E-P2, list out what is new, its advantages over its predecessor and finally try to conclude if the E-P3 is a worthy upgrade to the E-P2. Olympus E-P3 was introduced to market in August 2011 and Olympus E-P2 was launched in April 2010 so it will be interesting to see how much difference this 16 months between the two cameras make.

E-P3 and E-P2 are members of Olympus's PEN E-P series of cameras. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Olympus PEN E-P Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Dimensions	Weight
Olympus E-P7	2021	20.0MP - Four Thirds	118 x 69 x 38mm	337g
Olympus E-P5	2013	16.0MP - Four Thirds	122 x 69 x 37mm	420g
Olympus E-P3	2011	12.0MP - Four Thirds	122 x 69 x 34mm	369g
Olympus E-P2	2010	12.0MP - Four Thirds	121 x 70 x 36mm	355g
Olympus E-P1	2009	12.0MP - Four Thirds	121 x 70 x 36mm	355g

Here is a brief look at the main features of Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Olympus E-P3 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-08-17

12MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800

Micro Four Thirds Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

3.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

369g. 122 x 69 x 34 mm

Replaced Olympus PEN E-P2 Compare

Olympus E-P2 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-04-22

12MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

Micro Four Thirds Mount

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

3.0fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

355g. 121 x 70 x 36 mm

Replaced Olympus PEN E-P1 Compare

Olympus E-P3 was replaced by Olympus PEN E-P5. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus PEN E-P5 vs Olympus PEN E-P3
Olympus PEN E-P5 vs Olympus PEN E-P2

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Olympus PEN E-P3 over Olympus PEN E-P2

Built-in Flash	Yes vs No	Useful in low-light
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	35 vs 11	24 more focus points
LCD Resolution	614k dots vs 230k dots	166% higher resolution screen
Battery Life	330 shots vs 300 shots	30 more frames with a single charge
Low Light ISO	536 vs 505	better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

CHECK E-P3 PRICE

Reasons to choose Olympus PEN E-P2 over Olympus PEN E-P3

Weight	355 g vs 369 g	14 g lighter
Color Depth	21.5 vs 20.8	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	10.4 vs 10.1	higher dynamic range

CHECK E-P2 PRICE

Common Strengths of Olympus PEN E-P3 and Olympus PEN E-P2

Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Electronic (Optional) vs Electronic (Optional)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Weaknesses of Olympus PEN E-P3 and Olympus PEN E-P2

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

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Olympus E-P3 vs Olympus E-P2: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Olympus E-P3 has external dimensions of 122 x 69 x 34 mm (4.8 x 2.72 x 1.34″) and weighs 369 g (0.81 lb / 13.02 oz) (including batteries). Olympus E-P2 has external dimensions of 121 x 70 x 36 mm (4.76 x 2.76 x 1.42″) and weighs 355 g (0.78 lb / 12.52 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2. Olympus E-P3 is 1mm shorter and 2mm thinner than Olympus E-P2 but it is also 1mm wider.

Comparison image of Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2.

Comparison image of Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Olympus E-P2 is 14g lighter than the Olympus E-P3 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 have the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount and Four Thirds sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

E-P3

E-P2

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

E-P3

E-P2

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Olympus PEN E-P3 nor Olympus PEN E-P2 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Olympus E-P3 vs Olympus E-P2: Sensor Comparison

Both Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 have Four Thirds sized 12.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the E-P3 and E-P2 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 Cameras

Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that E-P2 has a better overall score of 56, 5 points higher compared to E-P3's score of 51.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Olympus E-P3	51	20.8 bits	10.1 Evs	536 ISO
Olympus E-P2	56	21.5 bits	10.4 Evs	505 ISO

Olympus E-P3 vs Olympus E-P2 Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 have the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount and currently there are 121 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Both Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 has Sensor based Image stabilization which means that all the lenses will be stabilized in these bodies.

Lens Type	# of Olympus E-P3 Lenses	# of Olympus E-P2 Lenses
Standard Zoom	18	18
Standard Prime	15	15
Wideangle Zoom	6	6
Wideangle Prime	32	32
Telephoto Zoom	19	19
Telephoto Prime	11	11
SuperZoom	8	8
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	5	5
Macro Prime	5	5
Perspective Control Prime	n/a	n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime	1	1
TOTAL	121	121

Here are some of the most popular Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for E-P3 and E-P2

	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO	FourThirds	382gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F1.7 ASPH	FourThirds	125gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS	FourThirds	210gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS	FourThirds	1120gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS	FourThirds	655gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS	FourThirds	320gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS	FourThirds	985gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ	FourThirds	91gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Olympus E-P3 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-P2 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Olympus E-P3 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Olympus E-P2 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
Read the details

Olympus E-P3 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-P2 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
35 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
11 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus E-P3 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-P2 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
369g
Read the details

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
355g
Read the details

Olympus E-P3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus E-P2 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Olympus E-P3 vs Olympus E-P2: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Olympus E-P3 and Olympus E-P2 scores compare:

Olympus E-P3

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #57 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #317 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Olympus E-P2

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #100 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #438 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Olympus E-P3 has a higher Overall Score than the Olympus E-P2 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Olympus E-P2 vs Olympus E-P3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Olympus PEN E-P3	Olympus PEN E-P2
Brand	Olympus	Olympus
Announced	2011-08-17	2010-04-22
Body Type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless	Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	Four Thirds	Four Thirds
Dimensions	17.3 x 13 mm	17.3 x 13 mm
Area	224.90mm²	224.90mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4032 x 3024	4032 x 3024
Max Native Light sensitivity	12,800 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	35	11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Micro Four Thirds	Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses	121	121
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	614k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic (optional)	Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Sensor-shift	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	10.00 m (@ ISO 200)	no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync	1/180s	1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	3.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1280 x 720
Video Formats	AVCHD, Motion JPEG	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	369g	355g
Dimensions	122 x 69 x 34mm	121 x 70 x 36mm
Battery Life	330 shots	300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	51	56
DxO Color Depth	20.8	21.5
DxO Dynamic Range	10.1	10.4
DxO Low Light ISO	536	505
	Report a correction	Report a correction