Olympus E-PL9 vs Panasonic FH6

In this article, we will be reviewing the Olympus E-PL9 versus Panasonic FH6, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. The resolution of the E-PL9 (16MP) and the FH6 (14MP) is pretty comparable but the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and FH6 (1/2.3") feature different sensor size.

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The E-PL9 was launched 6 years after the FH6 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic FH6 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a concise view of how the E-PL9 scores versus the FH6 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL9 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH6. The complete galleries are available at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery and Panasonic FH6 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Olympus E-PL9 has exterior dimensions of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") and a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FH6 has dimensions of 96mm x 56mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") with a weight of 119 grams (0.26 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus E-PL9 versus Panasonic FH6 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Here is the front view overall size comparison of the E-PL9 and the FH6.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the E-PL9 and FH6 is 85 and 96 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes only by checking out a spec sheet. The image underneath should give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the E-PL9 and FH6.

As you can see, both of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The E-PL9 because of its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Olympus E-PL9 will show more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The newer E-PL9 should have an edge in sensor tech.