Olympus PEN E-PL9

    70
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    Highlights

    • 16.1 MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS Sensor
    • 200 - 6,400 Native ISO
    • 121 Focus Points
    • Image Stabilization
    • 3.0" 1,040k dot Tilting Screen
    • 8.6 fps Continuous Shooting
    • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
    • 30 min Video Recording Limit
    • Built-in Flash
    • Built-In Wi-Fi
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    Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

    Overview

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 was announced in 2018 and is a Micro Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) Mirrorless camera with 16.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor. Its native ISO ranges from 200 to 6,400 and expands to 100 - 25,600 in boosted mode. The camera has a Tilting 3.0" screen with 1,040k dot resolution. It has a built-in Sensor Shift in body image stabilization.

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 can capture video up to 3840 x 2160 resolution.


    Here is the Olympus PEN series lineup, where you can view and compare the main specifications of the cameras within the same series.

    Olympus PEN series lineup
    Model Date Sensor Native ISO Screen Price
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-P7 June
    2021
    20 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PL9 February
    2018
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 6,400 Tilting 3.0"
    1,040k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PL8 September
    2016
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN-F January
    2016
    20 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Articulated 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PL7 September
    2014
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PL6 August
    2014
    16 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    460k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-P5 October
    2013
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    1,037k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PM2 May
    2013
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Fixed 3.0"
    460k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PL5 September
    2012
    16.1 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 25,600 Tilting 3.0"
    460k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PM1 November
    2011
    12.3 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 12,800 Fixed 3.0"
    460k dot
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PL3 September
    2011
    12.3 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    200 - 12,800 Tilting 3.0"
    460k dot
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-P3 August
    2011
    12.3 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 12,800 Fixed 3.0"
    614k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PL2 February
    2011
    12 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 6,400 Fixed 3.0"
    460k dot
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PL1s November
    2010
    12 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 6,400 Fixed 2.7"
    230k dot
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-PL1 May
    2010
    12 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 3,200 Fixed 2.7"
    230k dot
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-P2 April
    2010
    12 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 6,400 Fixed 3.0"
    230k dot
    Image cannot be found Olympus PEN E-P1 July
    2009
    12 MP
    Micro Four Thirds
    100 - 6,400 Fixed 3.0"
    230k dot

    You can view their side-by-side comparison here: Olympus PEN E-P7 vs PEN E-PL9 vs PEN E-PL8 vs PEN-F vs PEN E-PL7 vs PEN E-PL6.

    Pros and Cons

    In this section we present pros and cons of Olympus PEN E-PL9.

    PROS

    •   Video Capture
    •   121 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Live View Autofocus
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Live Composition
    •   Built-in Flash
    •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
    •   HDMI Output
    •   Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   Built-In Bluetooth
    •   Light - 380 g (0.84 lb / 13.40 oz)
    •   Orientation Sensor

    CONS

    •   Small Sensor
    •   200 Lowest Native ISO
    •   No Viewfinder
    •   Low Video Recording Limit
    •   No Microphone Input
    •   No Headphone Output
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   No Environmental Sealing
    •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
    •   No USB Charging

    And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

    AVERAGE

    •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
    •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
    •   Tilting Screen
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/16000 sec
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.6 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec

    Predecessor

    Here we are comparing Olympus PEN E-PL9 to its predecessor PEN E-PL8 and displaying the major changes.

    UPGRADES Olympus PEN E-PL9 vs Olympus PEN E-PL8
    More Powerful Processor TruePic VIII vs TruePic VII
    More Focus Points 121 vs 81
    Higher Resolution Screen 1,040k dot vs 1,037k dot
    Higher Max Continuous Shooting 8.6 fps vs 8.0 fps
    Built-in Flash vs
    Higher Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080
    Built-In Bluetooth vs
    DOWNGRADES Olympus PEN E-PL9 vs Olympus PEN E-PL8
    Lower Native ISO 6,400 vs 25,600
    Viewfinder vs Electronic (optional)
    Average Metering vs
    Heavier 380 g (0.84 lb / 13.40 oz) vs 357 g (0.79 lb / 12.59 oz)

    For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Olympus PEN E-PL9 vs PEN E-PL8.

    Screen

    Tilting Touchscreen

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 has a 3.0" Tilting touchscreen with 1,040k dot resolution. Tilting screen makes this camera very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting.

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    Olympus PEN E-PL9 with Tilting screen

    Sensor

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 features a 16.1 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor with dimensions of 17.3 x 13 mm and a total area of 224.9 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 6,400 and expands to 100 - 25,600 in boosted mode.


    Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how Olympus PEN E-PL9's Micro Four Thirds sensor compares with other types of sensors:

    Sensor size chart
    Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
    Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
    Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
    Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.3 x 13 mm224.9 mm24:32x
    Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

    Photography Features

    Camera is equipped with TruePic VIII processor and can take pictures up to 4608 x 3456 resolution.


    Lens Mount

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 has Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Due to Micro Four Thirds sensor its crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is 2x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 2.


    In-Body Image Stabilization

    The camera has a built-in Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS) with 3.5 stops of compensation. This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

    Check out the cameras which are frequently compared to Olympus PEN E-PL9.

    Connectivity, Battery and Storage

    Built-in Wi-Fi

    Camera has a built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
      Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


    Bluetooth

    Camera has a built-in Bluetooth (version 4.0 LE) which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
      Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


    USB Input and HDMI Output

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) input for data transfer. There is a Micro HDMI connector for video signal output.


    Battery

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 comes with BLS-50 battery pack with battery life of 350 shots.


    External Storage Slots

    The camera has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot.

    Other Features

    Shutter

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 has Focal-plane (mechanical and electronic) shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/16000 sec with electronic shutter and up to 1/4000 sec with mechanical shutter. Camera can shoot continuously up to 8.6 fps.


    Exposure

    Camera's exposure metering ranges from -2 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment.


    Flash

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 has a built-in flash with maximum range of 7.60 m at ISO 200 and also accepts external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/250 sec. Flash compensation can be set from -3 to +3 EV with 1/3 or 1/2 or 1 EV step increments.

    Physical Parameters

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 has dimensions of 117 x 68 x 39 mm (4.61 x 2.68 x 1.54"). It weighs 380 g (0.84 lb / 13.40 oz), so it is a lightweight camera.

    117 mm (4.61")

    68 mm (2.68")

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    68 mm (2.68")

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    39 mm (1.54")

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    Olympus PEN E-PL9 dimensions

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 for Different Types of Photography

    We give scores to the camera for different type of photography based on its features and specifications. Let us see how Olympus PEN E-PL9 is suitable for six different types of photography.


    Landscape Photography

    AVERAGE
    66

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 gets a score of 66 and is AVERAGE choice for Landscape photography.

    •   Small Sensor
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   No Environmental Sealing

    Sports Photography

    GOOD
    77

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 gets a score of 77 and is GOOD choice for Sports photography.

    •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
    •   121 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
    •   No Viewfinder
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.6 fps
    •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Wildlife Photography

    GOOD
    70

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 gets a score of 70 and is GOOD choice for Wildlife photography.

    •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
    •   121 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
    •   No Viewfinder
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.6 fps
    •   No Environmental Sealing
    •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Portrait Photography

    EXCELLENT
    85

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 gets a score of 85 and is EXCELLENT choice for Portrait photography.

    •   Small Sensor
    •   121 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Street Photography

    EXCELLENT
    86

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 gets a score of 86 and is EXCELLENT choice for Street photography.

    •   Small Sensor
    •   121 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Tilting Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
    •   No Viewfinder
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   No Environmental Sealing
    •   Light - 380 g (0.84 lb / 13.40 oz)

    Travel Photography

    EXCELLENT
    85

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 gets a score of 85 and is EXCELLENT choice for Travel photography.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Tilting Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
    •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
    •   Low Video Recording Limit
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   No Environmental Sealing
    •   Light - 380 g (0.84 lb / 13.40 oz)
    •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots

    Olympus PEN E-PL9 Evaluation

    We evaluate Olympus PEN E-PL9 and give score of 70 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


    OVERALL
    70

    Sensor

    AVERAGE
    56

    We give Olympus PEN E-PL9 a score of 56 for Sensor parameters.

    •   Small Sensor
    •   Sensor Resolution - 16.1 Megapixel
    •   200 Lowest Native ISO
    •   6,400 Highest Native ISO

    Photo

    GOOD
    77

    We give Olympus PEN E-PL9 a score of 77 for Photo parameters.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
    •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/16000 sec
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.6 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec

    Video

    AVERAGE
    58

    We give Olympus PEN E-PL9 a score of 58 for Video parameters.

    •   Image Stabilization
    •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
    •   Low Video Recording Limit

    Focusing

    GOOD
    80

    We give Olympus PEN E-PL9 a score of 80 for Focusing parameters.

    •   121 Focus Points
    •   Touch-to-Focus
    •   Face Detection
    •   Live View Autofocus

    Screen and Viewfinder

    GOOD
    79

    We give Olympus PEN E-PL9 a score of 79 for Screen and Viewfinder parameters.

    •   Tilting Screen
    •   Touch Screen
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
    •   No Viewfinder

    Connectivity

    GOOD
    83

    We give Olympus PEN E-PL9 a score of 83 for Connectivity parameters.

    •   HDMI Output
    •   No Microphone Input
    •   No Headphone Output
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   Built-In Bluetooth

    Battery, Storage and Physical

    POOR
    42

    We give Olympus PEN E-PL9 a score of 42 for Battery, Storage and Physical parameters.

    •   No Environmental Sealing
    •   Light - 380 g (0.84 lb / 13.40 oz)
    •   Short Battery Life - 350 shots


    For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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