• 4/3 224.9mm2
  • 12.3 megapixels
  •  
  • 35mm 847.3mm2
  • 12.2 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 102,400
  • Detailed specifications
  • Olympus PEN E-PL3
  • Sony Alpha ILCE-A7S
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Prices:   Compare Prices
Manufacturer URL: Manufacturer website Manufacturer website
Predecessor:    
Successor:   Sony A7S II
A7S vs A7S II
General
Model Number: E-PL3 A7S
Alternate Model Number(s):   ILCE-7S
Camera Format: Compact System Camera Compact System Camera
Currently Manufactured: No Yes
Retail Price: $699.99 $2499.99
Street Price:   $1,998.00
Date Available: 2011-09-15 2014-07-08
Tripod Mount: Yes Yes
Weight: 15.1 oz (428 g)
includes batteries, kit lens
17.9 oz (507 g)
includes batteries
Size: 4.3 x 2.5 x 1.5 in.
(110 x 64 x 37 mm)
5.0 x 3.7 x 1.9 in.
(127 x 94 x 48 mm)
Waterproof: No No
Waterproof Depth: n/a n/a
Image Sensor
Sensor Type: Live MOS CMOS
Sensor Manufacturer: Panasonic Sony
Effective Megapixels: 12.3 12.2
Sensor Format: 4/3 35mm
Sensor size: 224.9mm2 (17.30mm x 13.00mm) 847.28mm2 (35.60mm x 23.80mm)
Approximate Pixel Pitch: 4.29 microns 8.40 microns
Focal Length Multiplier: 2.0x 1.0x
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 3:2
Color Filter Type: RGBG RGBG
Anti Aliasing Filter: Fixed Fixed
Self-Cleaning: Yes Yes
Sensor shift image stabilization: Yes No
On-Sensor Phase Detect: No No
DxO Sensor Score: 52 87
DxO Color Depth Score (bits): 20.9 23.9
DxO Dynamic Range Score (evs): 10.3 13.2
DxO Maximum Effective ISO Score (iso): 499 3,702
Image Capture
Image Resolution: 4032 x 3024 (12.2 MP, 4:3),
3200 x 2400 (7.7 MP, 4:3),
2560 x 1920 (4.9 MP, 4:3),
1920 x 1440 (2.8 MP, 4:3),
1600 x 1200 (1.9 MP, 4:3),
1280 x 960 (1.2 MP, 4:3),
1024 x 768 (0.8 MP, 4:3),
640 x 480 (0.3 MP, 4:3)
4240 x 2832 (12.0 MP, 3:2),
4240 x 2384 (10.1 MP, 16:9),
2768 x 1848 (5.1 MP, 3:2),
2768 x 1560 (4.3 MP, Other),
2128 x 1416 (3.0 MP, 3:2),
2128 x 1200 (2.6 MP, Other),
12416 x 1856 (23.0 MP, Other),
8192 x 1856 (15.2 MP, Other),
2160 x 5536 (12.0 MP, Other),
2160 x 3872 (8.4 MP, Other)
Image File Format: JPEG (EXIF 2.2), MPO (3D), 12-bit RAW (.ORF) JPEG, RAW (14-bit ARW 2.3), RAW+JPEG
Continuous-mode frames/second: 5.3 5.0
Video Capture
Can take movies: Yes Yes
Movie Resolution: 1920x1080 (60i (20Mbps/​17Mbps))
1280x720 (60p (17Mbps/​13Mbps))
1280x720 (30p)
640x480 (30p)
1920x1080 (60p/​60i/​50p/​50i/​30p/​25p/​24p)
1280x720 (120p/​100p)
1440x1080 (30p/​25p)
640x480 (30p/​25p)
Movie File Format: AVCHD, Motion JPEG XAVC-S, AVCHD 2.0, MP4 with stereo sound
Composite Video Out: Yes No
NTSC/PAL Switchable Video: Yes n/a
Video Usable as Viewfinder: n/a
HD Video Out: Yes Yes
HD Video Connection: HDMI HDMI
Lens & Optics
Lens Mount: Micro Four Thirds Sony E
Lens: Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R MSC M.Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens n/a
Focal Length (35mm equivalent): 28 - 84mm  
Focal Length (actual): 14 - 42mm  
Zoom Ratio: 3.00x  
Aperture Range: f/3.5 (wide) / f/5.6 (tele) - f/22  
Integrated ND Filter: No No
Normal Focus Range: 25 cm to Infinity
9.8 in to Infinity
 
Macro Focus Range:    
Filter Thread: 37.0mm n/a
Thread Type: n/a n/a
Optical Image Stabilization: No No
Digital Zoom: Yes Yes
Digital Zoom Values: 2x Up to 4x; 2x Clear Image Digital Zoom
Auto Focus
Auto Focus: Yes Yes
Auto Focus Type: Contrast Detect: High-speed, 35-point with Face Detection and Tracking. Auto from all 35 area, Single area from 35 area, Group Target area (9 area) from 35 area, Up to 8 Faces Detected 25-point contrast-detect AF: Wide (25 points), Center-weighted, Flexible Spot (S/M/L), Zone
Auto Focus Assist Light? Yes Yes
Manual Focus: Yes Yes
Viewfinder
Viewfinder: LCD EVF / LCD
Viewfinder Type: Optional EVF mounted in flash hotshoe EVF: 0.5-inch (1.30cm) 2.4M-dot XGA color OLED, 100% coverage, 0.71x magnification, -4.0 to +3.0 diopter
Focus Peaking: No Yes
EVF Resolution: n/a 2,359,296 dots (786,432 pixels)
Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent):   0.71x
Viewfinder Magnification (nominal/claimed):   0.71x
Display
Eye-level Viewfinder: No Yes
Rear Display: Yes Yes
Rear Display Size (inches): 3.0 3.0
Rear Display Resolution: 460,000 dots (153,000 px) 921,600 dots (307,200 px)
Touchscreen: No No
Articulating Screen: Yes Yes
Tilt Swivel Screen: No
Selfie Screen: No
Max Playback Zoom: 14.0x 13.3x
Top Deck Display: No No
Exposure
Maximum ISO (native):   102400
Minimum ISO (native):   100
ISO Settings: Auto (customizable range), 200 - 12800 (1/3, 1 EV steps) Auto, 100 - 102,400, expandable to 50 - 409,600
Auto ISO Mode: Yes Yes
White Balance Settings: Auto, Lamp, Fluorescent, Daylight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, Underwater, Custom WB, One-touch WB Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent (4 settings), Flash, Custom, Color Temp./ Filter (2500-9900K with 15-step Magenta/Green compensation), Underwater
Shutter Speed Range: 1/4000 - 60 sec 1/8000 - 30 sec
Bulb Mode: Yes Yes
Exposure Compensation: +/- 3.0EV in 0.3EV steps +/- 5.0EV in 0.3EV steps
Metering Modes: 324-zone Digital ESP, Center Weighted Average, Spot (~1%, with Highlight/Shadow modes) 1200-zone Evaluative Multi-segment, Center-weighted, Spot
Program Auto Exposure: Yes Yes
Aperture Priority: Yes Yes
Shutter Priority: Yes Yes
Full Manual Exposure: Yes Yes
Creative Exposure Modes: Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Landscape + Portrait, Macro, Sport, Night Scene, Night + Portrait, Children, High Key, Low Key, DIS mode, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Document, Panorama, Fireworks, Beach & Snow, Fisheye Conv, Wide Conv, Macro Conv, 3D, Underwater wide, Underwater macro; Art Filters (Pop Art, Soft Focus, Grainy Film, Pin Hole, Diorama, Dramatic Tone) Scene Modes: Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports Action, Sunset, Night Portrait, Night Scene, Hand-held Twilight, Anti Motion Blur; Sweep Panorama; Picture Effect: Posterization (Color, B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R, G, B, Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera, Soft Highkey, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature, Watercolor, Illustration; Dynamic Range Optimizer (Auto/Level (1-5)), Auto High Dynamic Range: Auto Exposure Difference, Exposure Difference Level (1.0-6.0 EV, 1.0 EV step)
Self Timer: 2 or 12 seconds 2 or 10; 3/5 shots after 10 seconds
Time Lapse (intervalometer):    
High Resolution Composite: No No
Flash
Built-in Flash: No No
Flash Modes: Auto, Red-eye reduction, Red-eye reduction slow sync., Slow sync at 1st curtain, Slow sync at 2nd curtain, Fill-in, Manual (Full, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64), Off. Wireless flash control supported. Flash off, Auto flash, Fill-flash, Slow Sync., Rear Sync., Hi-speed Sync, Wireless; Red-eye reduction: On/Off
Flash Guide Number (ISO 100): 7.0 m / 23.0 ft. n/a
Flash Range Description: Bundled external flash has GN of 7m (ISO 100) or 10m (ISO 200) n/a
Max Flash Sync: 1/160 1/250
Flash Exposure Compensation: +/- 3.0 EV in 0.3EV steps +/- 3.0 EV in 0.3EV steps
External Flash Connection: Hot shoe Multi Interface Hot shoe
Built-In Wireless Flash Control:    
Image Storage
Usable Memory Types: SD / SDHC / SDXC MS PRO Duo / SD / SDHC / SDXC
UHS Support:   UHS-I
Other Memory:    
Dual Card Slots: No No
RAW Capture Support: Yes Yes
Uncompressed Format: 12-bit RAW (.ORF) RAW (14-bit ARW 2.3), RAW+JPEG
Movie File Format: AVCHD, Motion JPEG XAVC-S, AVCHD 2.0, MP4 with stereo sound
Included Memory: No memory included No memory included
Included Memory Type:    
Connectivity
Built-In Wi-Fi: No Yes
NFC: No Yes
Bluetooth: No No
Built-In GPS: No No
Microphone Jack: No Yes
Headphone Jack: No Yes
External Connections: USB 2.0 High Speed USB 2.0 High Speed,WiFi
PictBridge Compliant: Yes No
DPOF Compliant: Yes Yes
Remote Control: Yes Yes
Remote Control Type: Optional RM-UC1 wired remote Yes, via USB or Wi-Fi
Connections (extended): Accessory Port 2, Multi Connector (USB/AV/Remote), Mini HDMI (Type C) Micro HDMI (Type-D), Multi Micro USB connector, Stereo microphone jack (3.5mm), Stereo headphone jack (3.5mm)
Performance Timing
Cycle time for JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame, max resolution): 0.57 0.53
Cycle time for RAW shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame): 0.56 0.57
Buffer size for RAW shooting in single shot mode (frames): 8 Unlimited
Cycle time for RAW+JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per shot):   0.52
Camera penalizes early shutter press? No No
JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps, max resolution): 5.3 5.0
Buffer size for JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames, max resolution): 9 62
RAW shooting speed in burst mode (fps):   5.0
Buffer size for RAW shooting in burst mode (frames):   39
RAW+JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps):   5.0
Buffer Size for RAW+JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames):   28
Shutter lag (full AF, wide/mid): 0.24 seconds 0.18 seconds
Shutter lag (full AF, tele):    
Shutter lag (full AF, live view - DSLR):    
Shutter lag (prefocused, live view - DSLR):    
Shutter Lag (manual focus): 0.113 seconds 0.129 seconds
Shutter lag (full AF, with flash): 0.43 seconds  
Shutter Lag (prefocused): 0.073 seconds 0.024 seconds
Shutter Lag (notes):   Full AF lag, Multi-area AF mode = 0.183s
Startup Time: 2.1 seconds 2.0 seconds
Play -> Record Time: 0.6 seconds 0.5 seconds
Flash cycle time, full power: 4.9 seconds  
Power
Battery Life, Stills (CIPA Rating Monitor/Live View): 300 shots 380 shots
Battery Life, Still (CIPA Rating OVF/EVF):   320 shots
Battery Life, Video:    
Battery Form Factor: Proprietary BLS-1 or BLS-5 Proprietary NP-FW50
Usable Battery Types: Lithium-ion rechargeable Lithium-ion rechargeable
Batteries Included: Proprietary BLS-1 Lithium-ion rechargeable 2 x Proprietary NP-FW50 Lithium-ion rechargeable
Battery Charger Included (dedicated charger or AC/USB adapter): Yes Yes
Dedicated Battery Charger Included: Yes
Internal Charging Supported: Yes
Software
Included Software: OLYMPUS Viewer 2/[ib] CD-ROM  
OS Compatibility:    
Miscellaneous
Notes & Features: Sensor-shift Image Stabilization, 3-inch 460k-dot Tilting LCD, TruePic VI Image Processor, "FAST" AF System, Burst mode up to 5.5fps, Full HD movies, 6 Art Filters. External FL-LM1 flash bundled. Available in Black, White, Silver and Red. 720p (1,280 x 720 pixel) video can be recorded at 120fps with an APS-C sensor crop. Can't record 4K video internally, but can output uncompressed 3,840 x 2,160 pixel 4K video over the HDMI port for recording on an external device. Can also output uncompressed Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) video. Can shoot still images at 5.0 fps in Speed Priority Continuous mode, or 2.5 fps otherwise. Battery life figure of 380 shots is for LCD monitor. Using electronic viewfinder, battery life falls to 320 shots.