Olympus PEN E-PL3 vs Olympus PEN E-PM1 — Which Is Better?

The Olympus PEN E-PL3 and Olympus PEN E-PM1 are both mirrorless cameras for the Micro Four Thirds system, announced on the same day in 2011. They share the same 110 x 64 mm front profile, so both fit the same small-bag, everyday-carry role.

The difference between them is depth and weight. The E-PM1 measures 34 mm deep and weighs 265 g, while the E-PL3 is 37 mm deep and 313 g, which is 48 g heavier. If pocketability and the lightest possible body are the priority, the E-PM1 is the smaller carry of the two.

For stills capture and lens choice, the core specifications match. Both use a 12.3 MP CMOS sensor in the Micro Four Thirds format with the TruePic VI processor, and both shoot at 5.5 fps with 35 autofocus points. A child running across the yard or a street scene gets the same headline response from either body.

Both also offer in-body stabilisation, which steadies handheld shots at slower shutter speeds with any Micro 4/3 lens you mount. Their standard ISO range runs from 200 to 12800, and the fastest shutter speed on either is 1/4000 second. Neither has a built-in viewfinder, so composition is screen-based on both.

For family clips and casual handheld footage, both cameras record Full HD at up to 60 fps in AVCHD, so motion stays smooth without a frame-rate trade-off between them.

Interval work would need external triggering on both, since neither camera offers built-in timelapse recording.

The E-PL3 is the better choice for shooting from awkward angles, because its LCD tilts for waist-level and overhead work. That helps with low macro shots, candid street frames held at chest height, or composing over a crowd. The E-PM1's screen is fixed.

The rear display specifications are shared, with a 3-inch LCD, 460000 dots and no touch input on either camera. Neither has a built-in flash, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or weather sealing, though both support an external flash and both offer live view.

Storage and power choices carry over whichever body you buy. Both cameras take SD, SDHC and SDXC cards in a single slot, use the same BLS-5 battery, and neither supports charging over USB.

The E-PM1 carries the higher battery rating, 330 shots against 300 for the E-PL3. That gives the lighter body the edge on rated endurance between charges.