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Olympus E-PL6

 
Olympus PEN E-PL6 front
 
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 325g - 111 x 64 x 38mm
  • Revealed August 2014
  • Renewed by Olympus E-PL7
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
88
Imaging
53
Features
77
Overall
62

Olympus E-PL6 summary

Olympus E-PL6 is Olympus's Entry-Level Mirrorless digital camera initially launched on August of 2014. The camera has a 16MP, CMOS Four Thirds sized sensor and has a max resolution of 4608 x 3456.

Olympus launched the newer Olympus E-PL7 (Read Full Comparison) to update this model.

The E-PL6 stands at #48 out of 117 in Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras & overall #279 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should test our Smart camera search to get camera listings based on your customized factors.

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Here is a diagram of multiple factors used in the rating system.

Olympus E-PL6 history

The Olympus E-PL6 has a history of related digital cameras. Below, you can check out all past and newer models alongside important features.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Olympus-PEN-E-P7 front thumbnailOlympus E-P7
E-PL6 vs E-P7
20MPFour Thirds8.7 fps2021
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-IV front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 IV
E-PL6 vs E-M10 IV
20MPFour Thirds8.7 fps2020
Photography Glossary
Olympus-PEN-E-PL9 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL9
E-PL6 vs E-PL9
16MPFour Thirds8.6 fps2018
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-Mark-III front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 III
E-PL6 vs E-M10 III
16MPFour Thirds8.6 fps2017
Olympus-PEN-E-PL8 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL8
E-PL6 vs E-PL8
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2016
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-II front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 II
E-PL6 vs E-M10 II
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2015
Snapchat Adds Watermarks to AI-Created Images
Olympus-PEN-E-PL7 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL7
E-PL6 vs E-PL7
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2014
Olympus-PEN-E-PL6 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL616MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2014
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10 front thumbnailOlympus E-M10
E-PL6 vs E-M10
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2014
Olympus-PEN-E-P5 front thumbnailOlympus E-P5
E-PL6 vs E-P5
16MPFour Thirds9.0 fps2013
Olympus-PEN-E-PM2 front thumbnailOlympus E-PM2
E-PL6 vs E-PM2
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2013
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone
Olympus-PEN-E-PL5 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL5
E-PL6 vs E-PL5
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2012
Olympus-PEN-E-PM1 front thumbnailOlympus E-PM1
E-PL6 vs E-PM1
12MPFour Thirds6.0 fps2011
Olympus-PEN-E-PL3 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL3
E-PL6 vs E-PL3
12MPFour Thirds6.0 fps2011
Olympus-PEN-E-P3 front thumbnailOlympus E-P3
E-PL6 vs E-P3
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2011
Olympus-PEN-E-PL2 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL2
E-PL6 vs E-PL2
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2011
Olympus-PEN-E-PL1s front thumbnailOlympus E-PL1s
E-PL6 vs E-PL1s
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2010
Olympus-PEN-E-PL1 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL1
E-PL6 vs E-PL1
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2010
Olympus-PEN-E-P2 front thumbnailOlympus E-P2
E-PL6 vs E-P2
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2010
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes
Olympus-PEN-E-P1 front thumbnailOlympus E-P1
E-PL6 vs E-P1
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2009

Olympus E-PL6 Pros and Cons

Below is a collection of advantages and disadvantages of the Olympus E-PL6 based on features which are oftentimes considered essential in a digital camera.

above average high ISO (25,600)
above average minimum ISO (100)
comes with touch to focus
does have HDMI socket
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
has face detect focusing
has tracking focus
image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (16MP)
screen is a decent size (3 inch)
screen is selfie friendly
screen is touchscreen
screen tilts up and down
supports RAW files
swap lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
you can focus manually
doesn't have phase detect AF
low resolution screen (460 k dots)
no headphone socket
no mic socket
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Olympus E-PL6 Sensor specifications

The Olympus E-PL6 is powered by the TruePic VI processor chip. The sensor dimension on the Olympus E-PL6 is 17.3mm x 13mm (Four Thirds). The 225 mm² sensor can capture 4608 x 3456 pixels and aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera comes with Image Stabilization (Sensor based). Optical stabilization is better than digital stabilization since the latter might produce cropping.

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The CMOS sensor has 16MP and has a standard ISO range of 100 to 25600. RAW format is saved which means that you have wider room to maneuver in post.

The picture underneath shows the E-PL6's sensor dimensions in comparison to other popular sizes. The E-PL6 sensor has a crop factor of 2.1 and is shown in green.

Olympus PEN E-PL6 sensor size Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

To get a sense of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Olympus E-PL6 dimensions

Olympus E-PL6 has a weight of 0.72 pounds (325 gr or 11.46 ounces) & the measurement of the camera is 111mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5"). The weight of typical Entry-Level Mirrorless camera is 329 gr and the Olympus E-PL6 is very much the same as compared to other competitors.

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Here is a shot of the Olympus E-PL6 alongside a soft drink to help you to get a feel for its scale.

Olympus PEN E-PL6 dimensions scale

The top view underneath will provide the button arrangement on the E-PL6.

Olympus PEN E-PL6 topview buttons dials

Olympus E-PL6 Lens specifications

The E-PL6 fits the Micro Four Thirds mount and has 162 lenses to choose from. Below is some of the lenses we have in our database which will fit the E-PL6.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Samyang-24mm-f1.4-ED-AS-UMC-Four-Thirds lensSamyang 24mm f1.4 ED AS UMC24mmf/1.4 580g
Samyang-12mm-f2.0-NCS-CS-Micro-Four-Thirds lensSamyang 12mm f2.0 NCS CS12mmf/2.0 260g
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Samyang-135mm-F2.0-ED-UMC-Micro-Four-Thirds lensSamyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC135mmf/2830g
Olympus-M.Zuiko-Digital-ED-14-150mm-F4-5.6-II lensOlympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm F4-5.6 II14-150mmf/4.0-5.6 284g
Sigma-10-20mm-F4-5.6-EX-DC-HSM-Four-Thirds lensSigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM10-20mmf/4.0-5.6 470g
Panasonic-Lumix-G-Vario-HD-12-32mm-F3.5-5.6-Mega-OIS lensPanasonic Lumix G Vario HD 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS12-32mmf/3.5-5.6 70g
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Panasonic-Lumix-G-14mm-F2.5-II-ASPH lensPanasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 II ASPH14mmf/2.5 55g
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Olympus E-PL6 Connectivity

The E-PL6 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that feature NFC and / or Bluetooth support are able to be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You can easily transfer files and usually change camera settings without the hassle of connecting directly to the camera.

A few applications even give a Liveview and hit the shutter if you are not close to the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI port, it can easily be connected to an external screen. The majority of cameras enable you to charge the battery pack through the USB port.

Photography Glossary

Olympus E-PL6 Video specifications

The max video quality on the Olympus E-PL6 is 1920 x 1080 and you can shoot in MPEG-4 and Motion JPEG file format. 1080p quality gives a great balance in video quality versus file sizes but 1080p won't give you any room to crop. The camera does not have a microphone and / or headphone socket which means you have little control over the audio. It is probably best to purchase another model if you need decent audio for your videos.

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Olympus E-PL6 Weather Sealing

Olympus E-PL6 does not include environment proofing so rainy conditions can easily ruin the camera.

Olympus E-PL6 Screen and Viewfinder

The Olympus E-PL6 has a 3" tilting display screen supporting a resolution of 460k dots.

The screen is selfie friendly for self portraits and even group shots if needed. Additionally the display screen is touch friendly which means that you are able to switch focus points as well as change settings using your fingertips.

Olympus PEN E-PL6 screen and viewfinder Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The ViewFinder details for Olympus E-PL6 are below:

  • ViewFinder Electronic (optional)

For sunny outdoor conditions which make the camera displays washed out and tough to see, viewfinders can be particularly helpful.

Olympus E-PL6 Shutter specifications

Olympus E-PL6 continuous shooting rate is 8.0 frames/s. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000 sec.

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Olympus E-PL6 Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Olympus E-PL6 comes with external flash support but does not include built-in flash.

Olympus E-PL6 Autofocus specifications

Olympus E-PL6 comes with just Contrast Detect Auto Focus & does not have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is more faster and accurate when compared to Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera has Face detection which can be useful for people photography.

The Sensor has 35 focus points to pick from. Olympus E-PL6 has tap to focus. You can use your fingers to switch focus points. It also includes Tracking Auto Focus for objects on the move. Olympus E-PL6 has manual focus if needed in low light conditions or you want to have more precise focus control.

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Olympus E-PL6 Battery life

The battery pack (BLS-5) on the Olympus E-PL6 is fashioned to last for 360 photographs with respect to the CIPA standards which is about the same as it's competitors. The usual Entry-Level Mirrorless camera battery life is 343. Fujifilm X-S20 features the maximum (750) battery life in this class of cameras.

Below is a listing of Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras that come with the highest battery life:

Olympus E-PL6 for specific kinds of photography

The following graph presents a summary of the Olympus E-PL6 for specific kinds of photography. To learn more, check out the specific section underneath.

Olympus E-PL6 Portrait photography details

The Olympus E-PL6 receives a rating of 71 which is above average, meaning that it is a good choice for portrait photography. Shooting portrait images favors heavily to sensor dimensions, RAW support together with the ability to use off-camera lighting.

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has manual focus
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
features face detection autofocus
exports RAW formats

Olympus E-PL6 Street photography factors

With a wonderful rating of 85, the Olympus E-PL6 is a wonderful pick to use in street photography. A very good street photography camera offers a fine balance of picture quality plus portability.

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screen tilts
image stabilization (Sensor based)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
saves RAW formats
comes with focus via touch
very good ISO range (25,600)

Olympus E-PL6 Sports photography info

A above average sports photography rating of 66 means the Olympus E-PL6 is a fine choice for photographing sports. A camera needs to have great autofocus plus shutter speeds for sports photography.

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image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (16MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
provides tracking autofocus
no phase detect AF

Olympus E-PL6 Travel photography info

Weight is super critical in selecting a travel camera. Over-all, the Olympus E-PL6 gets a outstanding 85 for a travelling camera which makes it a fantastic fit to take with you on your vacations.

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offers focus via touch
good resolution (16MP)
screen is selfie friendly

Olympus E-PL6 Landscape photography details

When you're looking to buy a camera for landscape photographs, the most vital aspect will be image quality. The Olympus E-PL6 with it's wonderful rating of 80 as a landscape camera is a awesome option within the current market.

Photography Glossary
focusing manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
good sized screen (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
great ISO range (25,600)
supports RAW files

Vlogging with Olympus E-PL6

A vlogging camera should come with a articulating display, mic port and preferably IBIS. Taking everything into account, the Olympus E-PL6 is a fantastic option as a vlog camera as it comes to a very high score of 79.

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selfie friendly display
touchscreen
image stabilization (Sensor based)
provides face detection focus
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
does not have external mic jack

Olympus E-PL6 Alternatives

If you are in the market for replacements to the E-PL6, here is a range of the highest placed cameras that fall under the family of Entry-Level Mirrorless.

The line chart listed below shows you a summary of the E-PL6 compared to it's highest rated competitors shown earlier.

Here are a few more cameras you may take into account as alternate options. To see a full comparison, click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand Name
Olympus
Model
Olympus PEN E-PL6
Category
Entry-Level Mirrorless
Revealed
2014-08-01
Physical type
Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Processor Chip
TruePic VI
Sensor size
Four Thirds
Sensor dimensions
17.3 x 13mm
Sensor surface area
224.9mm²
Sensor resolution
16MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW images
Maximum native ISO
25600
Minimum native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points
35
Lens
Lens mount
Micro Four Thirds
Total lenses
107
Focal length multiplier
2.1
Screen
Screen type
Tilting
Screen size
3 inch
Resolution of screen
460k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Electronic (optional)
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Min shutter speed
60 secs
Max shutter speed
1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter rate
8.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
7.00 m (bundled FL-LM1)
Flash settings
Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in, Slow Sync, Manual (3 levels)
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Maximum video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4, Motion JPEG
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
325 grams (0.72 lbs)
Physical dimensions
111 x 64 x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5")
Other
Battery life
360 photographs
Battery type
Battery Pack
Battery model
BLS-5
Self timer
Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage type
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots
Single
Launch pricing
$300