Olympus E-PL6 vs Pentax E90: An In-Depth Comparative Review for Discerning Photographers

When it comes to choosing a camera, especially an older model with humble specs on paper, it’s all too easy to focus on raw numbers and miss the nuances that shape your actual shooting experience. Having put both the Olympus PEN E-PL6 and the Pentax Optio E90 through their paces over many months, I’m here to sift through the specs, real-world usability, and image quality to help you decide which might actually fit your style and needs.

These two cameras couldn’t be more different at first glance - a mirrorless enthusiast’s entry-level companion versus a budget-friendly compact aimed at casual shooters. But let’s dive deeper than the specs sheet to help clarify their strengths and weaknesses, and outline who should seriously consider them in 2024.

First Impressions: Size Matters, But Ergonomics Matter More

Size and handling can make or break your daily enthusiasm for a camera, so let’s start there.

At 111 x 64 x 38 mm and weighing 325 grams, the Olympus E-PL6 is compact but offers a decent grip and thoughtfully spaced controls, reflecting Olympus’s consistent design philosophy for their Micro Four Thirds (MFT) line. Despite being a few years old, it feels pleasantly solid - definitely more than a toy camera - and is perfectly comfortable for extended use without fatigue.

The Pentax E90 is a petite compact at 102 x 59 x 25 mm and a featherweight 145 grams. It accurately fulfills its promise as a pocket-friendly snap-happy companion but sacrificed controls and grip comfort for the slim profile. I found the smaller size makes it better suited for casual use or street photography when you want something to grab and go - but not when you want deliberate precision.

The E-PL6, in contrast, invites a more serious photographic approach with manual dials for aperture and shutter priority modes, plus exposure compensation and custom white balance settings for creative control. Whereas the Pentax is mostly for point-and-shoot simplicity, lacking manual exposure modes entirely.

Design & Control Layout: Classical Rangefinder Vibes vs Button Minimalism

Looking down from above, the decision becomes a bit clearer.

The Olympus E-PL6 sports a traditional mirrorless camera control layout - with a dedicated mode dial, rear control dial, and well-positioned function buttons that are easy to reach without hunting or finger gymnastics. The tilting 3-inch touchscreen adds an appealing modern twist, practical for awkward angles or those selfie shots that remain popular.

Conversely, the Pentax Optio E90’s button array is minimal, relying mostly on a 4-way directional pad for navigation and menu control. Without manual controls, it’s clearly designed for battery-efficient simplicity and casual shooting. The fixed 2.7-inch screen is serviceable but lacks touch sensitivity or tilt, which can make framing shots a trial if you want to change perspectives.

If you’re someone who enjoys manual overrides or customization, the Olympus is a winner hands down here. The Pentax might suit the photographer who hates menu diving and wants to shoot completely auto every time, but be forewarned - it feels limited and clunky in comparison.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: The Tale of Two Generations

Let’s get into what truly separates these two - their imaging hardware.

The Olympus E-PL6 features a 16MP Four Thirds sensor (17.3 x 13mm), roughly 8 times the surface area of the Pentax’s 10MP 1/2.3" CCD sensor (6.08 x 4.56mm). This size advantage translates into substantially better image quality, dynamic range, and noise control, particularly in low light.

In the lab and real-world tests, the Olympus’s TruePic VI processor delivered clean images at base ISO 100 and usable shots all the way up to 3200 ISO, with ISO 6400 being borderline but still acceptable for casual sharing or web use. Dynamic range was respectable, especially for the camera’s era, allowing for more recoverable highlights and shadows - a critical factor for landscape and portrait shooters alike.

The Pentax’s small sensor struggled with noise beyond ISO 200, and dynamic range was narrow - typical for compact cameras with such chips in that timeframe. Colors appeared muted and contrast less punchy, limiting post-processing flexibility. Sharpness was decent at daylight but softness crept in at longer focal lengths.

The Olympus supports RAW capture, enabling much more latitude for editing, while the Pentax is only JPEG, which confirms where their design priorities lay.

On-Screen Experience: Touchscreen Tilting vs Fixed Screen

Checking the LCD back-to-back brings the user interface differences into focus.

Olympus’s tilting 3-inch, 460k-dot touchscreen is a highlight, allowing easy composition up/down and intuitive touch focus or shutter release that greatly speeds up operation in live view mode. It’s a feature I came to appreciate when shooting macro or low-angle street photos, where minimizing strain counts.

In contrast, the Pentax’s 2.7-inch, 230k-dot fixed screen is perfectly readable in shade but struggles under bright sunlight, and the lack of tilting limits framing creativity. Without touchscreen responsiveness, autofocus selection and menu navigation rely on the directional pad, which quickly becomes tiresome for advanced work.

Autofocus and Burst Shooting: Speed and Accuracy in Varied Disciplines

For action photography genres like wildlife and sports, autofocus performance and continuous shooting matter hugely.

The Olympus E-PL6 employs contrast-detection autofocus with 35 focus points, face detection, and continuous AF modes. While it lacks the hybrid phase-detect AF of modern cameras, its AF speed and accuracy remain respectable, locking focus reliably in decent light. Continuous shooting tops out at 8 fps (frames per second), a sweet spot for capturing fleeting moments, as I verified in practice with playful dogs and local soccer matches.

The Pentax E90 offers a primitive AF system with only 3 contrast-detection points, no tracking, and single AF mode only. Burst shooting is not specified (practically none), making it ill-suited for fast action. Autofocus speed felt sluggish under low light, and hunting was noticeable.

If your photography revolves around subjects in motion - wildlife, sports, kids running - Olympus provides a level of performance that the Pentax simply cannot compete with.

Image Output and Real-World Sample Gallery

Of course, numbers only take you so far. Here’s what they really produce.

Olympus E PL6 front Olympus E PL6 screen back Pentax E90 front Pentax E90 screen back

In portrait photography, the Olympus E-PL6’s larger sensor and articulate aperture control create creamy bokeh and pleasing skin tones. Face detection refines focus admirably on eyes, delivering sharp, natural results even indoors without flash.

Landscape shots benefit from rich tonality and dynamic range, with details holding up well from foreground to distance. The Pentax images, while colorful, tend to appear flatter and noisier upon enlargement.

For macro shots, the Olympus’s in-body stabilization and quicker focusing come through, capturing fine details crisply - photos where the Pentax falters due to its lack of stabilization and limited macro focus range (6 cm minimum).

Night and astro photography are beyond the Pentax’s capabilities. The Olympus manages higher ISOs with less noise and supports longer shutter speeds, making the difference palpable when shooting star fields or urban nightscapes handheld.

Video Features: The Extra Mile vs Basic Implementation

The Olympus E-PL6 records 1080p at 30 fps with standard stereo sound (though lacks a microphone input), while the Pentax caps at 720p at 15 fps and low-res 480p options, recorded as Motion JPEG files - a dated, inefficient format resulting in large file sizes and limited editing flexibility.

The Olympus also offers sensor-based image stabilization that benefits video recording by reducing shake - a feature Pentax’s compact lacks altogether, making the latter’s footage visibly unstable.

If you’re considering the occasional video alongside photos, Olympus hands down.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Handling Life’s Abrasions

Neither camera features professional-grade weather sealing, but the sturdier design of the Olympus E-PL6 provides more confidence for light outdoor use. The Pentax, with its plastic compact body, feels more vulnerable to rough handling or moisture.

You won’t want to test either in heavy rain or dust storms, but the E-PL6’s build quality allowed me more freedom shooting in environmental unpredictability - think light drizzle or dusty trail photography.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: Freedom vs Fixed Constraints

One big advantage of the Olympus E-PL6 is its Micro Four Thirds mount with access to over 100 native lenses, from ultra-wide to super-telephoto, primes to fast zooms, macro and specialty optics. The ability to change lenses massively expands creative potential and adaptability across genres.

The Pentax E90 is a fixed-lens compact with a built-in 32-95 mm equivalent zoom (f/3.1-5.9) - fine for snapshots, but limiting for landscape wide angles, sports telephoto reach, or specialized work like macro.

This difference means the Pentax is frozen in its versatility, whereas Olympus opens up a continuum of fresh photographic possibilities without changing bodies.

Battery Life and Storage: Convenience Counts for Daytrippers and Travelers

Battery life expectations differ dramatically. The Olympus E-PL6’s BLS-5 battery delivers approximately 360 shots per charge, which is standard but requires spares for long outings or travel. The Pentax uses two AA batteries, which while less efficient, have the advantage of ubiquitous availability - ideal for sudden field replacements but adding bulk and weight.

Storage-wise, both use SD cards, but the Olympus supports faster cards like SDXC for large RAW files, while the Pentax’s older design limits file management.

Connectivity: Modern Needs vs The Bare Minimum

The Olympus E-PL6 includes wireless connectivity options for Eye-Fi cards (proprietary wireless SD cards) and an HDMI port, reflecting a semi-modern approach to transferring images and media viewing. There is no Bluetooth or NFC, reflecting its 2014 vintage.

The Pentax E90 has no wireless connectivity or HDMI out, limiting sharing and external monitoring options drastically compared to any modern camera.

Diving into the Details: Performance Rating Summaries

Drawing from a range of lab testing and real-world fieldwork, I've collated the following performance scores for each camera.

The Olympus E-PL6 consistently outperforms the Pentax E90 in image quality, autofocus, burst rate, and video capabilities. The Pentax lands at a definitively entry-level compact score, best suited for absolute beginners or those simply wanting a lightweight snapper with minimal fuss.

Specialty Photography Genres: Who Excels Where?

Here’s a breakdown how these two stack up across typical photography subfields - something I find invaluable when matching gear to style.

• Portraits: Olympus dominates with larger sensor and face detection; Pentax lacks eye AF, bokeh, or manual aperture control
• Landscape: Olympus brings higher resolution and dynamic range; Pentax limited to cramped zoom range and narrow DR
• Wildlife: Olympus’s AF speed and telephoto lenses available; Pentax fixed zoom insufficient reach and slow AF
• Sports: Olympus’s 8 fps burst and continuous AF; Pentax falls short on focus speed and lacks burst
• Street: Pentax’s small size aids discretion, but Olympus’s tilting screen and quick AF also benefit street shooters willing to carry a bit more
• Macro: Olympus’s stabilization and focus options win; Pentax’s minimum focus distance limits close-up detail
• Night/Astro: Image noise and long exposures only viable on Olympus; Pentax not suitable here
• Video: Olympus supports 1080p stabilized video; Pentax limited and clunky
• Travel: Olympus offers flexibility and decent battery life, heavier; Pentax lightweight and compact but restrictive
• Professional work: Olympus supports RAW, manual controls, and lens choices; Pentax too limited for serious use

So Which Should You Buy? Target User Recommendations

Pick the Olympus E-PL6 if:

• You want creative control with manual modes and RAW shooting
• Image quality matters - portraits, landscapes, or night shots
• You value fast autofocus and burst options for action photography
• Access to a broad lens system appeals to your evolving photographic needs
• You don’t mind carrying a slightly larger mirrorless camera with some compromises in battery life
• You want to dabble somewhat seriously in video recording

Go for the Pentax Optio E90 if:

• Your budget is tight (sub $100 street price)
• You just need a tiny point-and-shoot for occasional snapshots
• Portability and simplicity outweigh all else - grab, point, shoot
• You don’t want to worry about exposure settings, autofocus modes, or interchangeable lenses
• You desire AA battery convenience without a charger

Wrapping Up: A Tale of Two Cameras through My Lens

If I were writing a resume for these cameras based on years of practical use, the Olympus E-PL6 emerges as a versatile, enthusiastic companion for photographers stepping into the mirrorless world. It showcases many features and controls that support creative growth, backed by a sensor and lens ecosystem that promise much more potential than the odds of its age might suggest.

The Pentax Optio E90 remains an archetype of ultra-basic compact convenience, suited for absolute beginners or those who want a no-brainer camera for casual social shoots and travel snapshots. But above all, it reminds me how much technology has leapt forward even since 2010.

If your passion for photography runs deep - or you seek a camera that adapts as you refine your craft - the Olympus is the clear choice. For casual, carefree point-and-shoot fun with little commitment, the Pentax might still hold value.

Hopefully, this detailed, hands-on comparison helps you decode what these two humble cameras really deliver long after their release. Happy shooting!

If you want to see how these cameras perform in the field across key photographic styles, here’s a final visualization: