Olympus E-PL9 vs Pentax W90

The following is a thorough overview of the Olympus E-PL9 and Pentax W90, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Waterproof by brands Olympus and Pentax. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the E-PL9 (16MP) and W90 (12MP) and the E-PL9 (Four Thirds) and W90 (1/2.3") provide totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The E-PL9 was announced 8 years after the W90 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Olympus E-PL9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax W90 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a full comparison, here is a brief overview of how the E-PL9 grades versus the W90 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus PEN E-PL9 and Pentax Optio W90. The whole galleries are available at Olympus E-PL9 Gallery and Pentax W90 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Olympus E-PL9 has outside measurements of 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") having a weight of 380 grams (0.84 lbs) whilst the Pentax W90 has sizing of 108mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") with a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs).

Contrast the Olympus E-PL9 and Pentax W90 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the E-PL9 vs the W90.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the E-PL9 and W90 is 85 and 94 respectively.

Generally, it is difficult to see the difference between sensor dimensions merely by going over technical specs. The image below may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the E-PL9 and W90.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The E-PL9 having a bigger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field easier and the Olympus E-PL9 will offer you more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The younger E-PL9 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.