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Olympus E-PL9

 
Olympus PEN E-PL9 front
 
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 6400 (Expand to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 380g - 117 x 68 x 39mm
  • Introduced February 2018
  • Earlier Model is Olympus E-PL8
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
85
Imaging
55
Features
78
Overall
64

Olympus E-PL9 summary

Olympus E-PL9 is Olympus's Entry-Level Mirrorless camera originally released on February of 2018. The camera features a 16MP, CMOS Four Thirds size sensor with a max resolution of 4608 x 3456.

Olympus brought out this camera in order to update the older Olympus E-PL8 (Read Full Comparison)

The E-PL9 places at #38 out of 117 in Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras & overall #241 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should use our Advanced camera search to see camera results based on your personalized requirements.

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

Olympus E-PL9 family

The Olympus E-PL9 has a history of related digital cameras. Underneath, you can see all previous and brand new models along with important specifications.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Olympus-PEN-E-P7 front thumbnailOlympus E-P7
E-PL9 vs E-P7
20MPFour Thirds8.7 fps2021
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-IV front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 IV
E-PL9 vs E-M10 IV
20MPFour Thirds8.7 fps2020
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Olympus-PEN-E-PL9 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL916MPFour Thirds8.6 fps2018
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-Mark-III front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 III
E-PL9 vs E-M10 III
16MPFour Thirds8.6 fps2017
Olympus-PEN-E-PL8 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL8
E-PL9 vs E-PL8
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2016
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10-II front thumbnailOlympus E-M10 II
E-PL9 vs E-M10 II
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2015
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Olympus-PEN-E-PL7 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL7
E-PL9 vs E-PL7
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2014
Olympus-PEN-E-PL6 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL6
E-PL9 vs E-PL6
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2014
Olympus-OM-D-E-M10 front thumbnailOlympus E-M10
E-PL9 vs E-M10
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2014
Olympus-PEN-E-P5 front thumbnailOlympus E-P5
E-PL9 vs E-P5
16MPFour Thirds9.0 fps2013
Olympus-PEN-E-PM2 front thumbnailOlympus E-PM2
E-PL9 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-PL9 vs E-PL5
16MPFour Thirds8.0 fps2012
Olympus-PEN-E-PM1 front thumbnailOlympus E-PM1
E-PL9 vs E-PM1
12MPFour Thirds6.0 fps2011
Olympus-PEN-E-PL3 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL3
E-PL9 vs E-PL3
12MPFour Thirds6.0 fps2011
Olympus-PEN-E-P3 front thumbnailOlympus E-P3
E-PL9 vs E-P3
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2011
Olympus-PEN-E-PL2 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL2
E-PL9 vs E-PL2
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2011
Olympus-PEN-E-PL1s front thumbnailOlympus E-PL1s
E-PL9 vs E-PL1s
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2010
Olympus-PEN-E-PL1 front thumbnailOlympus E-PL1
E-PL9 vs E-PL1
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2010
Olympus-PEN-E-P2 front thumbnailOlympus E-P2
E-PL9 vs E-P2
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2010
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Olympus-PEN-E-P1 front thumbnailOlympus E-P1
E-PL9 vs E-P1
12MPFour Thirds3.0 fps2009

Olympus E-PL9 Pros and Cons

Here is a collection of good and bad points of the Olympus E-PL9 based on aspects that are usually considered useful in a camera.

built-in touchscreen
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
comes with face detection autofocus
comes with tracking autofocus
has a tilting screen
has bluetooth
has built in flash
has HDMI port
has manual focus
high resolution screen (1,040 thousand dot)
includes touch focus
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
quiet shutter (1/16,000 seconds)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (Four Thirds)
supports RAW formats
video res high (3840 x 2160 pxls)
does not have selfie friendly display
lacks phase detect autofocus
missing external mic port
missing headphone port
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Olympus E-PL9 Sensor features

The Olympus E-PL9 features the TruePic VIII processor. The dimension of the sensor in the Olympus E-PL9 is 17.3mm x 13mm (Four Thirds). The 225 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 4608 x 3456 pixels using aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Sensor based). In body stabilization is more effective than digital stabilization as the latter can cause cropping.

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The CMOS sensor has 16 megapixels and includes a native ISO range of 200 - 6400. The ISO can be expanded electronically to 100 - 25600. RAW files are supported which means that the user has more margin for error.

The picture below displays the E-PL9's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The E-PL9 sensor has a crop factor of 2.1 and is presented in green.

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To get an understanding of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Olympus E-PL9 dimensions

Olympus E-PL9 is 0.84 pounds (380 gr / 13.40 oz) & the physical size of the camera is 117mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5"). The weight of typical Entry-Level Mirrorless camera is 329 gr so the Olympus E-PL9 is heavier as compared with various rivals.

Photography Glossary

Listed below is a visual of the Olympus E-PL9 with a soft drink so you're able to get a sense of its size.

Olympus PEN E-PL9 dimensions scale

The top view here will show you the button arrangement on the E-PL9.

Olympus PEN E-PL9 topview buttons dials

Olympus E-PL9 Lens features

The E-PL9 uses the Micro Four Thirds mount and has 162 lenses available in the market. Here is a few of the lenses we have in our collection that will work with the E-PL9.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-ED-50mm-f2.0-Macro lensOlympus Zuiko Digital ED 50mm f2.0 Macro50mmf/2.0 300g
Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-14-54mm-f2.8-3.5 lensOlympus Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f2.8-3.514-54mmf/2.8-3.5 435g
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Samyang-135mm-F2.0-ED-UMC-Micro-Four-Thirds lensSamyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC135mmf/2830g
Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-11-22mm-f2.8-3.5 lensOlympus Zuiko Digital 11-22mm f2.8-3.511-22mmf/2.8-3.5 485g
Olympus-M.Zuiko-Digital-ED-25mm-F1.2-Pro lensOlympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm F1.2 Pro25mmf/1.2410g
Samyang-35mm-F1.4-AS-UMC-Four-Thirds lensSamyang 35mm F1.4 AS UMC35mmf/1.4 660g
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Panasonic-Lumix-G-Vario-14-140mm-F3.5-5.6-ASPH.-Power-O.I.S lensPanasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH. Power O.I.S14-140mmf/3.5-5.6 265g
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Olympus E-PL9 Connectivity

The E-PL9 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • Bluetooth Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that come with NFC or Bluetooth support are able to be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You will be able to transfer pictures and usually alter settings without connecting straight with the camera.

Some apps also provide a Liveview and hit the shutter whenever you are not near the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI port, it can easily be connected to an external screen. Many cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Olympus E-PL9 Video features

The max video quality in the Olympus E-PL9 is 3840 x 2160 and you can record in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 2160p gives you a fantastic quality for video. You can downsample to 1080p in order to get clearer video. Be wary of the huge file sizes and make sure you have high quality SD cards with good write speed. The body does not have a microphone or headphone socket which means you have absolutely no control over the sound. It is perhaps best to consider an alternative camera in case you want better sound for your video clips.

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Olympus E-PL9 Weather Sealing

There is no environment sealing for the Olympus E-PL9 so you have to be careful in rainy or dusty conditions.

Olympus E-PL9 Display and Viewfinder

The Olympus E-PL9 features a 3 inch tilting display screen having a resolution of 1,040 thousand dots.

Moreover the display screen is touch friendly which means that you can set focus point and adjust settings with your finger.

Olympus PEN E-PL9 screen and viewfinder Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone

The ViewFinder specifications for Olympus E-PL9 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Electronic (optional)

For bright outdoor conditions that make the camera displays washed out and difficult to see, viewfinders can be particularly useful.

Olympus E-PL9 Shutter features

Olympus E-PL9 has the capability to shoot continuously at 8.6 fps. The max shutter speed is 1/4000s. The camera also has silent electronic shutter of 1/16000s. Keep in mind that the electronic shutter can lead to "rolling shutter" under some situations.

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Olympus E-PL9 Flash and Hot shoe features

Olympus E-PL9 has both inbuilt flash as well as external flash support.

Olympus E-PL9 Autofocusing features

Olympus E-PL9 has only Contrast Based AF & doesn't have Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection focusing is a lot snappier & exact as compared with Contrast Based focusing. The camera features Face detect which is handy for taking photos of people.

It features 121 focus points to select from. Olympus E-PL9 has tap to focus. You can easily use your fingers in order to adjust focus. It also comes with Tracking AF for subjects on the move. Olympus E-PL9 features manual focusing when required in low light or you need more accurate control on focusing.

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Olympus E-PL9 Battery life

The battery pack for the Olympus E-PL9 is made to last for 350 shots as per the CIPA standards making it about average when compared to it's rivals. The usual Entry-Level Mirrorless camera battery life is 343. Fujifilm X-S20 has got the maximum (750) battery life in this category of cameras.

Here is a list of Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras having the highest battery life:

Olympus E-PL9 for varying kinds of photography

The following illustration provides a summary of the Olympus E-PL9 for varying kinds of photography. To view more, scroll to the specific paragraph below.

Olympus E-PL9 Portrait photography info

The Olympus E-PL9 gets a score of 73 which is nice, and means the camera is a very decent pick for portrait photography. Photographing portraits favors greatly towards sensor specs, RAW support together with the potential to utilize off-camera lighting.

Photography Glossary
you can focus manually
decent MP (16 megapixels)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
features face detect autofocus
delivers RAW files

Olympus E-PL9 Street photography factors

Coming in at a very high score of 84, the Olympus E-PL9 is a great choice for street photography. A decent street photography camera offers a perfect balance of image quality plus portability.

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screen tilts up and down
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
saves RAW files
comes with touch to focus

Olympus E-PL9 as a Sports photography camera

A nice sports photography rating of 69 indicates the Olympus E-PL9 is a fine fit for shooting sports. A camera should have good tracking and shutter speeds for sports photography.

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quiet mode (1/16,000s)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count good (16MP)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
includes tracking focus
doesn't have phase detect AF

Travel photography with Olympus E-PL9

Weight is extremely critical when picking a travel camera. Overall, the Olympus E-PL9 gets a fantastic 77 as a travel camera which is a terrific option to purchase for your travels.

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has bluetooth
comes with touch to focus
resolution is good (16MP)
has built in flash
does not posses selfie friendly display

Olympus E-PL9 Landscape photography info

For anybody planning to purchase a digital camera for landscape photographs, the most important factor will be image quality. The Olympus E-PL9 at it's brilliant grade of 80 as a landscape camera is a wonderful pick compared to it's rivals.

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focusing manually
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent megapixels (16 megapixels)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files

Olympus E-PL9 Vlogging information

A camera for vlogging should come with a moving display, mic port and ideally image stabilization. Considering all things, the Olympus E-PL9 is just not acceptable for vlogging as it comes to a lousy rating of 35.

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touchscreen functionality
image stabilization (Sensor based)
provides face detection focusing
video res high (3840 x 2160 pxls)
does not feature selfie friendly screen
missing external mic jack

Olympus E-PL9 Alternatives

If you are shopping for alternatives to the E-PL9, here is a selection of the top scored cameras which fall under the class of Entry-Level Mirrorless.

The line chart down below shows you a bird's eye view of the E-PL9 vs it's highest rated competitors shown previously.

Here are a few more cameras you might see as alternatives. To see a full comparison, go to the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Olympus
Model type
Olympus PEN E-PL9
Class
Entry-Level Mirrorless
Introduced
2018-02-08
Body design
Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Powered by
TruePic VIII
Sensor size
Four Thirds
Sensor dimensions
17.3 x 13mm
Sensor area
224.9mm²
Sensor resolution
16 megapixel
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW pictures
Highest native ISO
6400
Highest enhanced ISO
25600
Minimum native ISO
200
Minimum enhanced ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Total focus points
121
Lens
Lens mount type
Micro Four Thirds
Number of lenses
107
Crop factor
2.1
Screen
Display type
Tilting
Display diagonal
3 inches
Display resolution
1,040 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic (optional)
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Min shutter speed
60s
Max shutter speed
1/4000s
Max quiet shutter speed
1/16000s
Continuous shutter speed
8.6fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance
7.60 m (at ISO 200)
Flash options
Auto, manual, redeye reduction, slow sync w/redeye reduction, slow sync , slow sync 2nd-curtain, fill-in, off
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions
3840 x 2160 @ 30p / 102 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Highest video resolution
3840x2160
Video data format
MPEG-4, H.264
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
380 grams (0.84 lb)
Dimensions
117 x 68 x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5")
Other
Battery life
350 images
Battery form
Battery Pack
Self timer
Yes (2 or 12 secs, custom)
Time lapse recording
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC card (UHS-I supported)
Storage slots
1
Pricing at release
$599