Read our updated review of the new Olympus PEN E-PL9, with a 16mp sensor, 4K video, and numerous shooting modes.
| Olympus PEN E-PL9 in Mirrorless Cameras
Quick Verdict
The Olympus PEN E-PL9 is a stylish mirrorless camera, that delivers excellent image quality, with numerous shooting features, and a wide range of lenses making this a great choice. With recent price reductions, this camera is even better value for money, and offers a lot for the money, including 4K video with in-camera image stabilisation.
+ Pros
- Stylish colour options
- Built-in pop-up flash
- 4K video recording
- Great JPEG results straight from the camera
- Excellent noise performance
- In-camera image stabilisation
- Improved user interface
- Cons
- Main (setup) menu system could be improved
- Does not feature 5-axis IS of E-M10 III
Olympus’ latest PEN camera, the E-PL9, updates the E-PL8, and now features 4K video recording, 3-axis image stabilisation, a built-in pop-up flash, and Bluetooth. The 16mp Micro Four Thirds camera is available in white, light brown, and black.
Olympus PEN E-PL9 Features
The camera features the same 16 megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor as the E-PL8, but with a new image processor (which is said to be the same as the flagship E-M1 Mark II). This should mean there’s an improvement in noise performance and image quality. The camera has 3-axis sensor-based image stabilisation, like the E-PL8.
The 3inch tilting touch-screen tilts up and down, with it possible to tilt completely down and forwards for selfie shots. You can view a dual-axis electronic level on the screen.
The camera records 4K video at 30/25/24fps, and the 3-axis image stabilisation will help keep videos steady and smooth. Stereo microphones are built-in.
There’s built-in Wi-Fi, and this has been joined by low-power Bluetooth so that you can connect to your smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth. Here's a quick comparison of the main differences between the two cameras:
E-PL9 | E-PL8 |
4K Video | FullHD Video |
121 AF points | 81 AF points |
2 new Art Filters | - |
Bluetooth + Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
Advanced Photo Mode | - |
Built-in Pop-up Flash | External flash |
- | Accessory Port (EVF) |
Updated Grip | - |
The shooting modes available have been updated, to include Advanced Photo (AP) mode, which is designed to make it easier to use some of the more advanced shooting modes, of which there are many, including Live Composite, Live Time, Multi-Exposure, HDR, Silent, Panorama, Keystone Compensation, AE Bracketing, and Focus Bracketing.
The scene modes have been updated with a new graphical user interface, and you can use the touch-screen to select the scene mode you want. These have been designed to be easy to use, and the Nightscenes including "Light Painting" and other night scene modes that you can use, without advanced photographic knowledge.
There's an Auto mode, with easy on-screen controls, P, A, S, and full manual controls. The number of AF points has been updated, with the camera now featuring 121, compared to 81 on the E-PL8.
Key Features
- 16.1 megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor
- Micro Four Thirds lens mount
- 3-axis sensor-shift image stabilisation (up to 3.5 stops)
- 3inch tilting touch-screen, 1040K dot resolution
- 4K video at 30/25/24fps
- FullHD video recording at 60p, stereo sound
- ISO100 to ISO25600 (extended)
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity
- 8.5fps continuous shooting
- HDR, Focus Peaking
- 31 Art Filters
- Available in black/silver, white/silver, and brown/silver
Olympus PEN E-PL9 Handling
The Olympus PEN E-PL9 features a mostly plastic bodied camera, and on top, the metal dials and shutter release button give the camera a more premium feel. The front grip has been improved over the E-PL8.
The rear grip for your thumb is quite small, and some of the buttons seem quite small, but they are clearly labelled, and the 4-way controller around the OK button gives quick access to some of the key controls.
The rear touch-screen looks good, with a decent resolution of 1040K dots. The frame surrounding it is quite large, and it would be nice if Olympus were able to slim this down in future models.
Advanced Photo mode was first seen on the E-M10 Mark III, and is designed to make it easier to access some of the more advanced features on the camera. There’s also an updated Scene modes menu, with quick access to settings. These can make the camera easier to use, however, the main setup menus on the camera are long overdue a good update and can be quite tedious when looking for a specific feature.
Use of the Super Control Panel can make it easier to access settings and controls so that you can avoid having to use the menu system. The back (top) Function (Fn) button, can be customised. The camera doesn't have an accessory port, so you can't add an electronic viewfinder to the camera.
Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth means you can connect to the camera from your smartphone or tablet. The Olympus O.I. Share app is available for Android and iOS devices. It’s easy to set up a connection, and from there you can remotely control the camera, import photos, edit photos and add Geotag (location) data to images.
On the side is a MicroUSB connection, and an HDMI connection.
Battery Life is rated at 350 shots, which is the same as the E-PL8, and the camera uses the same battery (BLS-50), which is shared with a number of other Olympus PEN, and OM-D E-M10 cameras making it easy to find spares.
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Screens are next to useless in bright sunlight.
Quote:I don't really understand why manufacturers keep bringing out expensive cameras with no viewfinders.
Screens are next to useless in bright sunlight.
I agree and will never buy one without a viewfinder.
These sorts of models are naturally not going to find much interest with traditional or more seasoned photographers who know the benefits of using a viewfinder. But the OEMs would say we're not the target buyer in any case.
Nice sleek looking body, otherwise a very predictable, uninspiring and expensive upgrade to 4K.
I dare say this is a decent enough camera, but its direct competition is more like the GX800 - same resolution, 4k shooting and no EVF - it does lack IBIS, but then you can pick it up for under £300. In light of that I find it incredibly difficult not see the EPL-9 as woefully overpriced. Essentially it's an entry level camera for the price of a decent mid-range one.
If these reviews are meant to be honest buyer's guides I think it's important to highlight something so significant. It rarely seems to happen and I think it unfortunately somewhat undermines your credibility.
You forgot to consider the XT20, your editor's choice, as one of the most valid alternatives!!!!
https://www.ephotozine.com/article/fujifilm-x-t20-expert-review-30487
Best Regards
Regarding earlier comments posted on the review, the IBIS in this model is still 3-axis, like the previous two models (E-PL7 and 8) - I suspect that perhaps the 5-axis version as used on the E-M10 Mark III needs a taller body to house it.
Another commenter said that the E-PL9 has hardly changed since the E-PL7, which isn't really the case at all. That was true of the E-PL8, which had just a couple of very tiny firmware changes compared with the E-PL7, albeit coupled with a significantly restyled appearance, but the E-PL9 differs from its predecessors in many ways - there's the plastic body, a considerably simplified (Olympus may say streamlined) user interface including more graphical elements and - significantly - the new AP mode which presents advanced features in a simplified format, plus 4K movie recording, a built-in flash, the unfortunate loss of the Accessory Port and thus no compatibility with accessory EVFs such as the VF4, the first appearance in an E-PL of a silent shutter mode (albeit in limited form inside the AP mode, like the E-M10 III but better than not having it at all, as before in this line) and lots of other features arising from the inclusion of a version of the processing engine used in the E-M1 Mark II, such as more AF points and the slightly odd S-AF-only cluster AF mode, which again it shares with only the E-M10 Mark III in the whole range (the E-M1 Mark II offers it in C-AF mode, which makes much more sense).
The menu does look very much like work in progress also. They could have brought so more stuff in to the almost empty Camera 1 menu.
Possibly the Advanced Photo Mode would be better called the Dumb Photo Mode.
Also Keystone Correction seems to not have any metering type choice now it is in the AP mode.
I was going to buy a Mk III EM10 just to have the same menus but quickly changed my mind and bough a Mk II which is a much more flexible beast.
The E-PL9 is OK as a backup camera but there are a few issues with this new menu and there was not much wrong with the old menus given its flexibility though reviewers always struggled with it.
I hope the EM5 Mk III has steered clear of this new thinking as that should be what the people preparing for this new machine should be fearing more than any physical changes.
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