Olympus E-M1 III vs Olympus E-PL9

In this article, we are evaluating the Olympus E-M1 III vs Olympus E-PL9, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both of them are sold by Olympus. There exists a big gap among the resolutions of the E-M1 III (20MP) and E-PL9 (16MP) but they possess the same exact sensor sizing (Four Thirds).

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The E-M1 III was unveiled 2 years later than the E-PL9 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-M1 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a full comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the E-M1 III matches up vs the E-PL9 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III and Olympus PEN E-PL9. The full galleries are viewable at Olympus E-M1 III Gallery and Olympus E-PL9 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera frequently, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-M1 III offers outside dimensions of 134mm x 91mm x 69mm (5.3" x 3.6" x 2.7") having a weight of 580 grams (1.28 lbs) whilst the Olympus E-PL9 has specifications of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") along with a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs).

Look at the Olympus E-M1 III vs Olympus E-PL9 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. The following is the front view proportions comparison of the E-M1 III versus the E-PL9.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-M1 III and E-PL9 is 67 and 85 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to picture the gap in sensor sizing just by going through specs. The visual below might give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the E-M1 III and E-PL9.

All in all, both the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but different megapixels. You should expect to see the Olympus E-M1 III to show extra detail having an extra 4MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images a little more aggressively. The more modern E-M1 III should have an edge with regard to sensor technology.