Leica M11 vs Olympus E-PL6

Its time to look more in depth at the Leica M11 and Olympus E-PL6, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Leica and Olympus. There is a considerable difference among the sensor resolutions of the M11 (60MP) and E-PL6 (16MP) and the M11 (Full frame) and E-PL6 (Four Thirds) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The M11 was brought out 7 years later than the E-PL6 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before getting straight to a complete comparison, here is a concise view of how the M11 scores against the E-PL6 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Leica M11 & Olympus PEN E-PL6. The entire galleries are provided at Leica M11 Gallery & Olympus E-PL6 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera, you have to consider its weight and size. The Leica M11 provides external dimensions of 139mm x 80mm x 39mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") along with a weight of 640 grams (1.41 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL6 has specifications of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs).

Take a look at the Leica M11 and Olympus E-PL6 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the M11 versus the E-PL6.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the M11 and E-PL6 is 76 and 88 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to visualise the difference in sensor measurements only by researching technical specs. The photograph underneath might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the M11 and E-PL6.

As you have seen, each of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The M11 due to its bigger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Leica M11 will provide you with more detail having its extra 44MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The more recent M11 will have an advantage in sensor innovation.