Olympus E-PL6 vs Sony A9

On this page, we are matching up the Olympus E-PL6 and Sony A9, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Pro Mirrorless by brands Olympus and Sony. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the E-PL6 (16MP) and A9 (24MP) and the E-PL6 (Four Thirds) and A9 (Full frame) offer totally different sensor sizing.

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The E-PL6 was unveiled 3 years earlier than the A9 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a in depth comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the E-PL6 matches up versus the A9 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus PEN E-PL6 & Sony Alpha A9. The full galleries are available at Olympus E-PL6 Gallery & Sony A9 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and proportions. The Olympus E-PL6 has exterior measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") along with a weight of 325 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Sony A9 has measurements of 127mm x 96mm x 63mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.5") having a weight of 673 grams (1.48 lbs).

Compare the Olympus E-PL6 and Sony A9 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are working with during that time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the E-PL6 and the A9.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL6 and A9 is 88 and 65 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizes only by going through technical specs. The picture underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL6 and A9.

As you have seen, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The E-PL6 with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony A9 will produce more detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged E-PL6 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.