Leica M9 vs Olympus E-P7

Its time to look more in depth at the Leica M9 and Olympus E-P7, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Leica and Olympus. The image resolution of the M9 (18MP) and the E-P7 (20MP) is fairly close but the M9 (Full frame) and E-P7 (Four Thirds) offer different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The M9 was released 12 years earlier than the E-P7 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have the same body design (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before we go right into a thorough comparison, here is a quick overview of how the M9 grades vs the E-P7 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Leica M9 and Olympus PEN E-P7. The complete galleries are viewable at Leica M9 Gallery and Olympus E-P7 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Leica M9 comes with exterior dimensions of 139mm x 80mm x 37mm (5.5" x 3.1" x 1.5") with a weight of 585 grams (1.29 lbs) while the Olympus E-P7 has specifications of 118mm x 69mm x 38mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") with a weight of 337 grams (0.74 lbs).

Contrast the Leica M9 and Olympus E-P7 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Underneath is a front view over all size comparison of the M9 versus the E-P7.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the M9 and E-P7 is 79 and 86 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements just by viewing specifications. The photograph below will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the M9 and E-P7.

To sum up, the 2 cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The M9 featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF simpler and the Olympus E-P7 will provide you with more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics more aggressively. The older M9 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.