Leica M9-P vs Olympus E-M1

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Leica M9-P vs Olympus E-M1, both Pro Mirrorless digital cameras by competitors Leica and Olympus. The resolution of the M9-P (18MP) and the E-M1 (16MP) is relatively similar but the M9-P (Full frame) and E-M1 (Four Thirds) offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The M9-P was released 3 years prior to the E-M1 which is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Leica M9-P being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-M1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple summary of how the M9-P matches up against the E-M1 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Leica M9-P & Olympus OM-D E-M1. The complete galleries are viewable at Leica M9-P Gallery & Olympus E-M1 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera often, you will have to consider its weight and proportions. The Leica M9-P has got outer measurements of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") and a weight of 600 grams (1.32 lbs) while the Olympus E-M1 has measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 63mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 497 grams (1.10 lbs).

See the Leica M9-P vs Olympus E-M1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the M9-P versus the E-M1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the M9-P and E-M1 is 78 and 71 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to see the gap between sensor dimensions merely by reading technical specs. The pic below might give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the M9-P and E-M1.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The M9-P due to its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Leica M9-P will offer you more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs way more aggressively. The more aged M9-P is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.