Epson R-D1x vs Olympus PEN E-PL3

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3
      46
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      63
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      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Epson R-D1x and the Olympus PEN E-PL3, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Epson R-D1x was introduced in February 2009 and Olympus PEN E-PL3 was introduced in September 2011. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Epson R-D1x Highlights

      • 6 MP APS-C CCD Sensor
      • 200 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 2.5" 235k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (rangefinder) Viewfinder

      Olympus PEN E-PL3 Highlights

      • 12.3 MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
      • 200 - 12,800 Native ISO
      • 35 Focus Points (35 Cross-type)
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 460k dot Tilting Screen
      • 5.5 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Epson R-D1x
      4. Advantage of Olympus PEN E-PL3
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Epson R-D1x and Olympus PEN E-PL3.

      PROS

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      •   Video Capture
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Light - 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)

      CONS

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.3 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 52
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 300 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Weight - 620 g (1.37 lb / 21.87 oz)
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   35 Focus Points
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.5 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec

      Advantage of Epson R-D1x

      Epson R-D1x
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Epson R-D1x over Olympus PEN E-PL3.

      Epson R-D1x vs Olympus PEN E-PL3
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs Micro Four Thirds

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Epson R-D1x.

      Epson R-D1
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      APS-C

      6 MP

      Sigma SD10
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      APS-C

      3 MP

      Sigma SD1 Merrill
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      15 MP

      Hasselblad X1D-50c
      Image cannot be found

      Medium format

      51 MP

      Canon 5D IV
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      30.4 MP

      Panasonic GM5
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      16 MP

      Leica M11
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      60.3 MP

      Nikon S1200pj
      Image cannot be found

      1/2.3-inch

      14.1 MP

      Nikon Z8
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      45.7 MP

      Nikon D300S
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      12.3 MP

      Olympus PEN E-PL5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      OM System OM-5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20.4 MP

      Advantage of Olympus PEN E-PL3

      Olympus PEN E-PL3
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Olympus PEN E-PL3 over Epson R-D1x.

      Epson R-D1x vs Olympus PEN E-PL3
      Video Capture vs
      Higher Sensor Resolution 6 Megapixel vs 12.3 Megapixel
      Higher Native ISO 1,600 vs 12,800
      Max Image Resolution 3008 x 2000 vs 4032 x 3024
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Live View Autofocus vs
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Image Stabilization vs Sensor Shift
      Screen Type Fixed vs Tilting
      Larger Screen 2.5" vs 3.0"
      Higher Resolution Screen 235k dot vs 460k dot
      Live View vs
      Lower Min Shutter Speed 1 sec vs 60 sec
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/2000 sec vs 1/4000 sec
      Manual Exposure Mode vs
      Shutter Priority vs
      HDMI Output vs Mini type C
      Lighter 620 g (1.37 lb / 21.87 oz) vs 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Olympus PEN E-PL3.

      Olympus PEN E-PL6
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16 MP

      Olympus PEN-F
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20 MP

      Olympus PEN E-PL8
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Olympus PEN E-PL9
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Olympus PEN E-PL5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Olympus PEN E-PM1
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12.3 MP

      Olympus PEN E-P7
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      Micro Four Thirds

      20 MP

      Olympus PEN E-PM2
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Olympus PEN E-PL2
      Image cannot be found

      Micro Four Thirds

      12 MP

      Olympus PEN E-P3
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12.3 MP

      Olympus PEN E-P5
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      Micro Four Thirds

      16.1 MP

      Olympus PEN E-P1
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12 MP

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      WEAKNESSES Epson R-D1x Olympus PEN E-PL3
        Low Resolution Sensor6 Megapixel12.3 Megapixel
        High Native ISO200200
        Timelapse Recording
        Low Resolution Screen235k dot460k dot
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        No Environmental Sealing

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Epson R-D1x has a 2.5" Fixed screen with 235k dot resolution and Olympus PEN E-PL3 has a 3.0" Tilting screen with 460k dot resolution. Tilting screen makes Olympus PEN E-PL3 very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting.


      Viewfinder

      Epson R-D1x has a built-in Optical (rangefinder) viewfinder. It has a .Olympus PEN E-PL3 does not have a built-in viewfinder but an optional electronic viewfinder can be attached.

      Sensor

      Epson R-D1x features a 6 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor with dimensions of 23.7 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 369.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 1,600. Olympus PEN E-PL3 features a 12.3 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor with dimensions of 17.3 x 13 mm and a total area of 169 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 12,800.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Epson R-D1x can take pictures up to 3008 x 2000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 2240 x 1488 with 3:2 aspect ratios. Olympus PEN E-PL3 is equipped with Truepic VI processor and can take pictures up to 4032 x 3024 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3200 x 2400, 2560 x 1920, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480 with 4:3, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Epson R-D1x has Leica M lens mount and Olympus PEN E-PL3 has Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Due to APS-C sensor in Epson R-D1x its crop factor is equal to 1.5x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5. Due to Micro Four Thirds sensor in Olympus PEN E-PL3 its crop factor is equal to 2x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 2.


      In-Body Image Stabilization on Olympus PEN E-PL3

      Olympus PEN E-PL3 has a built-in Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS). This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Olympus PEN E-PL3 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) input for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Olympus PEN E-PL3 comes with BLS-5 battery pack with battery life of 300 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Epson R-D1x has a single SD/SDHC card slot. Olympus PEN E-PL3 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Shutter speed can go up to 1/2000 sec on Epson R-D1x, and up to 1/4000 sec on Olympus PEN E-PL3. Olympus PEN E-PL3 can shoot continuously up to 5.5 fps.


      Flash

      Cameras have no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected to both of them via Hot Shoe to Olympus PEN E-PL3. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/160 sec on Olympus PEN E-PL3.

      Physical Parameters

      Epson R-D1x body has dimensions of 142 x 89 x 40 mm (5.59 x 3.5 x 1.57") and Olympus PEN E-PL3 body has dimensions of 110 x 64 x 37 mm (4.33 x 2.52 x 1.46"). Epson R-D1x weighs 620 g (1.37 lb / 21.87 oz) and Olympus PEN E-PL3 weighs 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz).

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      142 mm

      89 mm

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      110 mm

      64 mm

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      Size comparisons of Epson R-D1x and Olympus PEN E-PL3

      Epson R-D1x and Olympus PEN E-PL3 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      AVERAGE
      56
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      POOR
      53
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   35 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.5 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 300 shots

      Wildlife Photography

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      POOR
      50
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      61
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   35 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.5 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 300 shots

      Portrait Photography

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      AVERAGE
      67
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      GOOD
      78
      •   Small Sensor
      •   35 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec

      Street Photography

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      GOOD
      76
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 620 g (1.37 lb / 21.87 oz)
      GOOD
      84
      •   Small Sensor
      •   35 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      GOOD
      78
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 620 g (1.37 lb / 21.87 oz)
      GOOD
      84
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 300 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Epson R-D1x and Olympus PEN E-PL3 and give them scores of 46 and 63 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      OVERALL
      46
      OVERALL
      63

      Sensor

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      AVERAGE
      59
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.3 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   12,800 Highest Native ISO
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 52

      Photo

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      POOR
      53
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      GOOD
      70
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.5 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec

      Video

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization
      POOR
      45
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit

      Focusing

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      POOR
      47
      •   No Face Detection
      AVERAGE
      66
      •   35 Focus Points
      •   0 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      GOOD
      72
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot

      Connectivity

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      BAD
      26
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      AVERAGE
      65
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Epson R-D1x

      Olympus PEN E-PL3

      POOR
      42
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 620 g (1.37 lb / 21.87 oz)
      POOR
      42
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 313 g (0.69 lb / 11.04 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 300 shots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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