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Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PL1 Comparison

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Nikon 1 J4

18 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon 1 J4
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Olympus E-PL1

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

Olympus E-PL1
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Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PL1 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing 1 J4 and E-PL1, two Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Nikon 1 J4 has a 18.0MP 1" sensor whereas Olympus E-PL1 has a 12.0MP Four Thirds sensor. Nikon 1 J4 was introduced to market in April 2014 and Olympus E-PL1 was launched in May 2010. As you can see, E-PL1 is 4 years older than 1 J4. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon 1 J4 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-04-10
  • 18MP - 1" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 12800
  • Nikon 1 Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 60 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 1,200 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 232g. 100 x 60 x 29 mm
  • Replaced Nikon 1 J3 Compare

Olympus E-PL1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-05-17
  • 12MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Fixed Type Screen
  • 3 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 334g. 115 x 72 x 42 mm

Olympus E-PL1 was replaced by Olympus PEN E-PL1s. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus PEN E-PL1s vs Olympus PEN E-PL1
Olympus PEN E-PL1s vs Nikon 1 J4

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon 1 J4 over Olympus PEN E-PL1
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 12 MP 50% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 3.200 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
171 vs 11 160 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.037k dots vs 230k dots 350% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
60.0fps vs 3.0fps 57 fps faster
Battery Life
300 shots vs 290 shots 10 more frames with a single charge
Weight
232 g vs 334 g 102 g lighter
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video


Reasons to choose Olympus PEN E-PL1 over Nikon 1 J4
Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Flash Coverage
10.0m vs 5.0m 5m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
18.45µm2 vs 6.36µm2 190% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus PEN E-PL1
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Common Weaknesses of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus PEN E-PL1
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" Small display
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PL1: 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 Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon 1 J4 has external dimensions of 100 x 60 x 29 mm (3.92 x 2.36 x 1.12″) and weighs 232 g (0.51 lb / 8.18 oz) (including batteries). Olympus E-PL1 has external dimensions of 115 x 72 x 42 mm (4.53 x 2.83 x 1.65″) and weighs 334 g (0.74 lb / 11.78 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1. Nikon 1 J4 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 15mm narrower, 12mm shorter and 13mm thinner than Olympus E-PL1.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PL1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon 1 J4 is significantly lighter (102g ) than the Olympus E-PL1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

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.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

1 J4
E-PL1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

1 J4
E-PL1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon 1 J4 nor Olympus PEN E-PL1 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

Nikon 1 J4's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Olympus E-PL1's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PL1: Sensor Comparison

Nikon 1 J4 has a 18.0MP 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 4 processor. On the other hand, Olympus E-PL1 has a 12.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Truepic V processor.

Nikon 1 J4's sensor provides 6MP more than Olympus E-PL1's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the 1 J4 and E-PL1 sensor size comparison.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PL1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1 Cameras


As seen above, Olympus E-PL1 has a 1.9x Larger sensor area than Nikon 1 J4. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PL1 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Olympus E-PL1 has an advantage over Nikon 1 J4 There are 107 lenses for Olympus E-PL1's Micro Four Thirds mount, on the other hand there are only 13 lenses for Nikon 1 J4's Nikon 1 lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Olympus E-PL1 has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. On the other hand, Nikon 1 J4 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 7 lenses for Nikon 1 mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Nikon 1 J4 Lenses # of Olympus E-PL1 Lenses
Standard Zoom 4 15
Standard Prime 2 13
Wideangle Zoom 1 5
Wideangle Prime 2 29
Telephoto Zoom 2 18
Telephoto Prime n/a 9
SuperZoom 2 8
Wideangle Fisheye Prime n/a 5
Macro Prime n/a 4
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 1
TOTAL 13 107

What types of Photography are Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1 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.

Nikon 1 J4 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus E-PL1 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
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

Nikon 1 J4 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-PL1 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details
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

Nikon 1 J4 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Olympus E-PL1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Fast Continuous Shooting: 60.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
105 Cross Type Focus sensors
171 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Image Stabilization
11 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 290 shots
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-PL1 for Daily Photography

GOOD
232g
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
334g
Body Thickness 42mm
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus E-PL1 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Live-view
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PL1: 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 Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PL1 scores compare:

Nikon 1 J4
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #70 out of 127 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #327 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Olympus E-PL1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #84 out of 127 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #373 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon 1 J4 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Olympus E-PL1 in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Nikon 1 J4
Nikon 1 J4
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Olympus E-PL1
Olympus E-PL1
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Olympus E-PL1 vs Nikon 1 J4 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon 1 J4 Olympus PEN E-PL1
Brand Nikon Olympus
Announced 2014-04-10 2010-05-17
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1" Four Thirds
Dimensions 13.2 x 8.8 mm 17.3 x 13 mm
Area 116.16mm2 224.90mm2
Megapixels 18 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 5232 x 3488 4032 x 3024
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 160 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 171 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon 1 Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses 13 107
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 2.7"
Resolution 1,037k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/2000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.00 m (ISO 100) 10.00 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 60.0 fps 3.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1280 x 720
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 232g 334g
Dimensions 100 x 60 x 29mm 115 x 72 x 42mm
Battery Life 300 shots 290 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 54
DxO Color Depth not tested 21.5
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 10.1
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 487
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