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Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PM1 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-PM1

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

Olympus E-PM1
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Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PM1 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing 1 J4 and E-PM1, two Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras from Nikon and Olympus. Nikon 1 J4 has a 18.0MP 1" sensor whereas Olympus E-PM1 has a 12.0MP Four Thirds sensor. Nikon 1 J4 was introduced to market in April 2014 and Olympus E-PM1 was launched in November 2011. As you can see, E-PM1 is 3 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-PM1 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-PM1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-11-23
  • 12MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 6 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 265g. 110 x 64 x 34 mm

Olympus E-PM1 was replaced by Olympus PEN E-PM2. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Olympus PEN E-PM2 vs Olympus PEN E-PM1
Olympus PEN E-PM2 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-PM1 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-PM1
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution
18 MP vs 12 MP 50% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
171 vs 35 136 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution
1.037k dots vs 460k dots 125% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
60.0fps vs 6.0fps 54 fps faster
Weight
232 g vs 265 g 33 g lighter


Reasons to choose Olympus PEN E-PM1 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
Battery Life
330 shots vs 300 shots 30 more frames with a single charge
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-PM1
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Continuous Shooting
60.0fps vs 6.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Common Weaknesses of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus PEN E-PM1
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
New4
Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PM1: 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-PM1 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-PM1 has external dimensions of 110 x 64 x 34 mm (4.33 x 2.52 x 1.34″) and weighs 265 g (0.58 lb / 9.35 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PM1. Nikon 1 J4 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 5mm thinner than Olympus E-PM1.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PM1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PM1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PM1.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PM1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PM1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PM1.
Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PM1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PM1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon 1 J4 is 33g lighter than the Olympus E-PM1 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

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-PM1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

1 J4
E-PM1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon 1 J4 nor Olympus PEN E-PM1 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 and Olympus E-PM1's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PM1: 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-PM1 has a 12.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features TruePic VI processor.

Nikon 1 J4's sensor provides 6MP more than Olympus E-PM1'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-PM1 sensor size comparison.

Nikon 1 J4 vs Olympus E-PM1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PM1 Cameras


As seen above, Olympus E-PM1 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-PM1 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-PM1 has an advantage over Nikon 1 J4 There are 107 lenses for Olympus E-PM1'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-PM1 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-PM1 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-PM1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon 1 J4 and Olympus E-PM1 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-PM1 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-PM1 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-PM1 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
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
35 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus E-PM1 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
265g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Nikon 1 J4 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus E-PM1 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-PM1: 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-PM1, 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-PM1 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-PM1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #82 out of 127 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #368 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-PM1 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-PM1
Olympus E-PM1
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Olympus E-PM1 vs Nikon 1 J4 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon 1 J4 Olympus PEN E-PM1
Brand Nikon Olympus
Announced 2014-04-10 2011-11-23
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 12,800 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 35
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon 1 Micro Four Thirds
Number of Available Lenses 13 107
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 1,037k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
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) no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/160s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 60.0 fps 6.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 AVCHD, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 232g 265g
Dimensions 100 x 60 x 29mm 110 x 64 x 34mm
Battery Life 300 shots 330 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 52
DxO Color Depth not tested 21.0
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 10.3
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 499
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