Olympus E-P1 vs Sony A9

Below is a detailed analysis of the Olympus E-P1 versus Sony A9, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by companies Olympus and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the E-P1 (12MP) and A9 (24MP) and the E-P1 (Four Thirds) and A9 (Full frame) provide different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The E-P1 was launched 8 years earlier than the A9 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Olympus E-P1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before going right into a thorough comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the E-P1 matches up versus the A9 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Olympus PEN E-P1 and Sony Alpha A9. The complete galleries are provided at Olympus E-P1 Gallery and Sony A9 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera often, you will need to factor its weight and size. The Olympus E-P1 has got exterior measurements of 121mm x 70mm x 36mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.4") and a weight of 355 grams (0.78 lbs) while the Sony A9 has specifications of 127mm x 96mm x 63mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.5") with a weight of 673 grams (1.48 lbs).

See the Olympus E-P1 versus Sony A9 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at the time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the E-P1 against the A9.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the E-P1 and A9 is 86 and 65 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be tough to imagine the difference in sensor measurements just by researching specs. The photograph below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the E-P1 and A9.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The E-P1 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Sony A9 will provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 12MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos way more aggressively. The older E-P1 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.