Olympus E-PL9 Review

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Main Features

16MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor

ISO 200 - 6400( expands to 100-25600)

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Tilting Screen

8.6 fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video

Built-in Wireless

380g. 117 x 68 x 39 mm

Replaced Olympus E-PL8

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Olympus E-PL9 Overview

First introduced in February 2018 , Olympus PEN E-PL9 is a 16.0MP Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor, built-in Image Stabilization , Tilting touch screen and Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Olympus replaced the older E-PL8 with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Olympus PEN E-PL9 vs Olympus E-PL8

Olympus E-PL9 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Lens Mount and Lenses
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Olympus E-PL9 is the latest member of Olympus's PEN E-PL series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Olympus PEN E-PL Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Olympus E-PL9	2018	16.0MP - Four Thirds	8.6 fps	117 x 68 x 39mm	380g
Olympus E-PL8 Compare	2016	16.0MP - Four Thirds	8.0 fps	115 x 67 x 38mm	357g
Olympus E-PL7 Compare	2014	16.0MP - Four Thirds	8.0 fps	115 x 67 x 38mm	357g
Olympus E-PL6 Compare	2014	16.0MP - Four Thirds	8.0 fps	111 x 64 x 38mm	325g
Olympus E-PL5 Compare	2012	16.0MP - Four Thirds	8.0 fps	111 x 64 x 38mm	325g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
Olympus E-PL9 vs E-PL8 vs E-PL7 vs E-PL6 vs E-PL5

Olympus E-PL9 has an Overall Score of 70/100 and ranked #81 out of 206 in Mirrorless cameras (Top 10 Mirrorless), and ranked #151 out of 1214 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Olympus E-PL9 Physical Specs

Olympus E-PL9 weighs 380 g (0.84 lb / 13.40 oz) and has external dimensions of 117 x 68 x 39 mm (4.61 x 2.68 x 1.54″). Considering that the average weight of Mirrorless type cameras is 437g, its weight is about average in its class. On the other hand, with a thickness of only 39mm, it is quite small, 11mm thinner than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

Olympus E-PL9

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Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

Olympus E-PL9

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Here is the front and top view image of Olympus E-PL9 with the dimensions:

Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Olympus E-PL9 Camera Body

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Olympus E-PL9, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Olympus E-PL9 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Olympus E-PL9 with its main competitors:

Olympus E-PL9 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs E-PL9	Thickness	vs E-PL9
Olympus E-M10 III Compare	410g	30g heavier	50mm	11mm thicker
Olympus E-PL8 Compare	357g	23g lighter	38mm	1mm thinner
Olympus E-M10 II Compare	390g	10g heavier	47mm	8mm thicker
Olympus PEN-F Compare	427g	47g heavier	37mm	2mm thinner
Panasonic GX85 Compare	426g	46g heavier	44mm	5mm thicker
Fujifilm X-A5 Compare	361g	19g lighter	40mm	1mm thicker
Olympus E-PL7 Compare	357g	23g lighter	38mm	1mm thinner
Fujifilm X-A7 Compare	320g	60g lighter	41mm	2mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Olympus E-PL9 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Olympus E-PL9 Sensor and Photography Features

Olympus E-PL9 has a 16.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features TruePic VIII processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4608 x 3456 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. E-PL9 has a native ISO range of 200 - 6400 which can be boosted to 100-25600 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Olympus E-PL9 is not the highest resolution Four Thirds camera. Panasonic G95 with its 20.3MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic G95 or take a look at Highest resolution Mirrorless cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Olympus E-PL9's Four Thirds sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Olympus E-PL9 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Olympus E-PL9 Lens Mount and Lenses

Olympus E-PL9 has a Micro Four Thirds lens mount and currently there are 107 native lenses available for this mount. MFT is the most mature and versatile mount in the Mirrorles camera world. Olympus MFT lenses are known by their high optical quality and affordable prices. Other main contributor of the system, Panasonic also offers similarly well regarded lenses. Third party lens manufacturers also increase number of their offering and new manufacturers also jump in the wagon as the popularity of the system increases.

E-PL9 also has a Sensor based Image Stabilization system which means that all of these lenses will be stabilized when used on E-PL9. Sensor based image stabilization is one of the most useful features that you can have in an ILC. There are also 33 lenses with weather sealing for E-PL9 but bear in mind that E-PL9 body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular Olympus E-PL9 Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Olympus E-PL9

Model	Focal Length on E-PL9	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS	0-0mm	FourThirds	210gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH. Power O.I.S	0-0mm	FourThirds	265gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO	0-0mm	FourThirds	382gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus 9mm F8 Fish-Eye Body Cap Lens	0mm	FourThirds	30gr	MF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F1.7 ASPH	0mm	FourThirds	125gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm F1.8	0mm	FourThirds	136gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm F2.8 OIS	0-0mm	FourThirds	360gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH Power OIS	0-0mm	FourThirds	305gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

Check our Olympus E-PL9 Lenses page for more detailed lens search.

Olympus E-PL9 LCD

Olympus E-PL9 has a Tilting 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

E-PL9 doesn't have a built-in viewfinder but an optional external viewfinder is available. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Mirrorless camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 (Lumix DMC-G80) (Compare) or Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 (Compare).
If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

Olympus E-PL9 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Olympus E-PL9 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth 4.0 LE) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection.Olympus E-PL9's Bluetooth connectivity feature comes handy for connecting other devices that supports it. One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our E-PL9. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

You can connect E-PL9 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery

Olympus E-PL9 is powered by a proprietary battery which provides a shooting life of 350 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Mirrorless type cameras is 368 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

Battery Life Comparison in Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras

Olympus E-PL9

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Samsung NX mini with its 650shots is the model with longest battery life among Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras. Check the comparison of Olympus E-PL9 vs Samsung NX mini or take a look at Longest Battery Life Mirrorless cameras list.

Olympus E-PL9 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Olympus E-M10 III Compare	3840 x 2160	330shots	Yes	No	No
Olympus E-PL8 Compare	1920 x 1080	350shots	Yes	No	No
Olympus E-M10 II Compare	1920 x 1080	320shots	Yes	No	No
Olympus PEN-F Compare	1920 x 1080	330shots	Yes	No	No
Panasonic GX85 Compare	3840 x 2160	290shots	Yes	No	No
Fujifilm X-A5 Compare	3840 x 2160	450shots	Yes	Yes	No
Olympus E-PL7 Compare	1920 x 1080	350shots	Yes	No	No
Fujifilm X-A7 Compare	3840 x 2160	440shots	Yes	Yes	No

Olympus E-PL9 Video Features

With Olympus E-PL9, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 3840 x 2160 at 30p,25p,24p fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. This means that Olympus E-PL9 provides 4K (Ultra-HD) video. Except some exotic 6K and 8K video recording cameras, 4K is the new standard in consumer video world.
It is also a big step up from its predecessor E-PL8 which has a max video resolution of 1920 x 1080 only. If you are thinking of upgrading your E-PL8 and shoot a lot of video, this is a big factor to consider in favor of E-PL9.

E-PL9 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Olympus E-PL9 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Mirrorless camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 (Lumix DMC-G80) or Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 in a similar price range.

Olympus E-PL9 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Olympus E-PL9 can shoot continuously at max speed of 8.6 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec. E-PL9 also has an electronic shutter which can shoot silently at max speed of 1/16000s. One thing to keep in mind is that electronic shutter may cause rolling shutter / jello effects, and also banding issues under artificial light on your images.

Flash

E-PL9 has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing

Olympus E-PL9 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 121 points to choose from.

Olympus E-PL9 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Olympus E-PL9 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Olympus E-PL9 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

Bluetooth Connectivity

Image Stabilization

Articulating Screen

4K (UHD) Video

Touch Screen

Electronic (Optional) Optional Viewfinder

Face Detection Focusing

121 Focus Points

1.040k dots LCD Resolution

1/16000s Electronic Shutter Speed

8.6fps Shooting w/ Mechanical Shutter

380g Light Body

Timelapse Recording

Wide AE Bracketing Range: ±5 EV

Flash Sync Port

Remote control with a smartphone

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Buy Olympus E-PL9 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Built-in Viewfinder

x magnification - Small Viewfinder

Low Battery Life: 350 shots

No Environmental Sealing

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What type of Photography is Olympus E-PL9 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Olympus E-PL9 in 5 different photography areas.

Olympus E-PL9 for Portrait Photography

Olympus E-PL9 has a score of 61 for Portrait Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Portrait Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization

Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Olympus E-PL9 for Portrait Photography

Olympus E-PL9 for Street Photography

Olympus E-PL9 has a score of 85 for Street Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen

Image Stabilization
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium sized Body

Read the details of how we scored Olympus E-PL9 for Street Photography

Olympus E-PL9 for Sports Photography

Olympus E-PL9 has a score of 64 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.6fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
121 Focus Points
Wireless Connection

Image Stabilization
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Olympus E-PL9 for Sports Photography

Olympus E-PL9 for Daily Photography

Olympus E-PL9 has a score of 70 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Mirrorless Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Medium size Body

380g

Read the details of how we scored Olympus E-PL9 for Daily Photography

Olympus E-PL9 for Landscape Photography

Olympus E-PL9 has a score of 38 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theE-PL9.

Live-view
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor

Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Olympus E-PL9 for Landscape Photography

Olympus E-PL9 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Olympus E-PL9 compares with other Mirrorless cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Olympus E-PL9 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Olympus E-PL9

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Olympus E-PL9 amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Olympus E-PL9 Alternatives in DSLR Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Olympus E-PL9 with DSLR Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked DSLR cameras in Olympus E-PL9's price range.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Olympus E-PL9

Does the Olympus E-PL9 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Olympus E-PL9 have RAW support?
Does the Olympus E-PL9 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Olympus E-PL9 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Olympus E-PL9?
What is the Sensor Size of Olympus E-PL9?
is the Olympus E-PL9 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Olympus E-PL9 have Touch Screen?
Does the Olympus E-PL9 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Olympus E-PL9?
What is the Weight of Olympus E-PL9?
What are the Dimensions of Olympus E-PL9?

Olympus PEN E-PL9 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Olympus
Model	Olympus PEN E-PL9
Announced	2018-02-08
Body Type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Micro Four Thirds
Number of Lenses	107
Focal Length Multiplier	2x
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Tilting
Screen Size	3"
Screen Resolution	1,040k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic (optional)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	60s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter Speed	1/16000s
Continuous Shooting	8.6 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	7.60 m (at ISO 200)
Flash Modes	Auto, manual, redeye reduction, slow sync w/redeye reduction, slow sync , slow sync 2nd-curtain, fill-in, off
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	Four Thirds
Sensor Dimensions	17.3 x 13 mm
Sensor Area	224.90mm²
Sensor Resolution	16 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4608 x 3456
Max Native ISO	6,400
Max Boosted ISO	25600
Min Native ISO	200
Min Boosted ISO	100
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	121
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	380g
Physical Dimensions	117 x 68 x 39mm
Battery Life	350 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 12 secs, custom)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I supported)
Storage Slots	1

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