Olympus PEN E-PL9 Camera Review

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:

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.