| General | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Olympus | Olympus |
| Model | PEN E-P3 | PEN E-PL8 |
| Predecessor Model | Olympus PEN E-P2 | Olympus PEN E-PL7 |
| Successor Model | Olympus PEN E-P5 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
| MSRP | $549 (body only), $649 (with 12-42mm F3.5-5.6 II R lens) | |
| Camera Type | Interchangeable Lens | Interchangeable Lens |
| Body Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Video Capture |
| Sensor | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Size | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds |
| Sensor Dimensions | 17.3 x 13 mm | 17.3 x 13 mm |
| Total Pixels | 13 Megapixel | 17.2 Megapixel |
| Effective Pixels | 12.3 Megapixel | 16.1 Megapixel |
| Low Pass Filter | ||
| Native ISO Range | 100 - 12,800 | 200 - 25,600 |
| Boosted ISO Range | 100 - 25,600 |
| Photo | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | TruePic VI | TruePic VII |
| Max Image Resolution | 4032 x 3024 | 4608 x 3456 |
| Other Resolutions | 3200 x 2400, 2560 x 1920, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 1024 x 768, 640 x 480 | 3200 x 2400, 1280 x 960 |
| Image Aspect Ratios | 3:2, 4:3, 16:9 | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| JPEG Quality Levels | Super fine, fine, normal, basic) | |
| Bit Depth | 12-Bit | |
| Timelapse Recording | ||
| WB Bracketing | 3 frames in 2, 4, 6 steps selectable in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis | 3 frames in 2/4/6 stops in A-B/G-M axis |
| Focus | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Autofocus Modes | Multi-area Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View | Multi-area Center Selective single-point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection Live View |
| Lens Servo | Single-Servo AF, Continuous-Servo AF, Manual Focus | Continuous-Servo AF, Manual Focus, Single-Servo AF |
| Number of Focus Points | 35 | 81 |
| Number of Cross-type Focus Points | 0 | |
| Touch-to-Focus | ||
| Live View Autofocus | ||
| Animal Eye Detection | ||
| Vehicle Tracking Mode | ||
| Insect Tracking Mode | ||
| Contrast Detection for Autofocus | ||
| Phase Detection for Autofocus |
| Optics | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Lens Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds |
| Crop Factor | 2x | 2x |
| Image Stabilization | Sensor Shift | 5-Axis Sensor Shift |
| Image Stabilization Compensation | 3.5 stops | |
| Digital Image Stabilization |
| Screen | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Type | Fixed | Tilting |
| Screen Technology | 3:2 OLED with Anti-Fingerprint Coating | TFT-LCD |
| Touch Screen | ||
| Screen Size | 3.0" | 3.0" |
| Screen Resolution | 614k dot | 1,037k dot |
| Top LCD Screen | ||
| Live View | ||
| Live Composition |
| Viewfinder | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Viewfinder | Electronic (optional) | Electronic (optional) |
| Shutter | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Shutter Type | Computerized focal-plane high-speed mechanical | |
| Min Shutter Speed | 60 sec | 60 sec |
| Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) | 1/4000 sec | 1/4000 sec |
| Max Continuous Shooting | 3.0 fps | 8.0 fps |
| Flash | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in Flash | ||
| Flash Modes | Auto On Off Red-Eye Fill-in Slow Sync Wireless Manual (3 levels) | |
| Flash Range | 10.00 m (@ ISO 200) | |
| Max Flash Sync Speed | 1/180 sec | |
| Flash Bracketing | 3 frames in 0.3/0.7/1.0EV step selectable | |
| External Flash Connectivity | ||
| External Flash Connection | Hot Shoe, Wireless |
| Exposure | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Exposure Metering Modes | Multi Center-weighted Spot | Multi Center-weighted Spot |
| Metering Range | -2 to +20 EV | |
| Exposure Compensation | ±3 EV (1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV increments) | ±5 EV (1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV increments) |
| Exposure Bracketing | (2, 3, 5, 7 shots at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV increments) | ±5 EV (2, 3, 5, 7 shots at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV increments) |
| Exposure Lock | Locked at 1st release of shutter button (can be set to Fn button as well) |
| DXO | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| DxO Low Light ISO | 536 | |
| DxO Color Depth | 20.8 | |
| DxO Dynamic Range | 10.1 | |
| DxO Overall Score | 51 |
| Video | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Video Formats | AVCHD, Motion JPEG | H.264, Motion JPEG |
| Max Video Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Unlimited Video Recording | ||
| Recording Limit | 30 min | 30 min |
| Terminals | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| USB Speed | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI Output | Mini type C | Micro |
| Speaker | Mono | |
| Built-in Microphone | Stereo | Stereo |
| Microphone Input | ||
| Headphone Output | ||
| Flash Sync Port |
| Connectivity | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in GPS | ||
| Built-In Wi-Fi | ||
| Wi-Fi Version | 802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz | |
| Built-In Bluetooth | ||
| Remote Control | Optional RM-UC1 | wired or via smartphone |
| Environmental | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Sealing |
| Physical | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 122 x 69 x 34 mm (4.8 x 2.72 x 1.34") | 115 x 67 x 38 mm (4.53 x 2.64 x 1.5") |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 369 g (0.81 lb / 13.02 oz) | 357 g (0.79 lb / 12.59 oz) |
| Box Dimensions (LxWxH) | 9.3 x 9 x 3.8" | |
| Package Weight | 2.5 lb |
| Power and Storage | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Pack | BLS-5 | |
| Battery Life | 330 shots | 350 shots |
| Internal Storage | ||
| External Storage | Single Slot: SD/SDHC/SDXC | Single Slot: SD/SDHC/SDXC |
| Other | Olympus PEN E-P3 | Olympus PEN E-PL8 |
|---|---|---|
| Self Timer | 2 or 12 sec | 2 or 12 sec, custom |
| Orientation Sensor |
For a full review please go to the review page: