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Olympus E-PL6 vs Sony A9

The Olympus PEN E-PL6 and the Sony Alpha A9 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2013 and April 2017. Both the E-PL6 and the A9 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-PL6) and a full frame (A9) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Olympus E-PL6
versus
Sony A9
Olympus E-PL6   Sony A9
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony E mount lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Viewfinder optional Electronic viewfinder (3686k dots)
3.0" LCD – 460k dots 3.0" LCD – 1440k dots
Tilting touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second 20 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
360 shots per battery charge650 shots per battery charge
111 x 64 x 38 mm, 325 g 127 x 96 x 63 mm, 673 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus PEN E-PL6 and the Sony Alpha A9? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-PL6 and the Sony A9 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-PL6 can be obtained in four different colors (black, silver, red, white), while the A9 is only available in black.

Size Olympus E-PL6 vs Sony A9
Compare E-PL6 versus A9 top
Comparison E-PL6 or A9 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A9 is considerably larger (72 percent) than the Olympus E-PL6. Moreover, the A9 is substantially heavier (107 percent) than the E-PL6. It is noteworthy in this context that the A9 is splash and dust-proof, while the E-PL6 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-PL6) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A9). Mirrorless cameras, such as the two under consideration, have the additional advantage of having a short flange to focal plane distance, which makes it possible to mount many lenses from other systems onto the camera via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the E-PL6 gets 360 shots out of its Olympus BLS-5 battery, while the A9 can take 650 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A9 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-PL6 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n May 2013 US$ 599ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 US$ 4 499ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 US$ 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 US$ 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III 122 mm 84 mm 50 mm 410 g 330 n Aug 2017 US$ 649ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 US$ 999ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Sep 2016 US$ 549ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Feb 2018 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PL10 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Oct 2019 US$ 599ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-PM2 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 269 g 360 n Sep 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 US$ 1 999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A7R III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Oct 2017 US$ 3 199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7R V 131 mm 97 mm 82 mm 723 g 530 Y Oct 2022 US$ 3 899 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A9 II 129 mm 96 mm 76 mm 678 g 690 Y Oct 2019 US$ 4 499 amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The E-PL6 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 87 percent) than the A9, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-PL6 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A9 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A9 is 276 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the E-PL6 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A9 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Olympus E-PL6 and Sony A9 sensor measures

With 24MP, the A9 offers a higher resolution than the E-PL6 (15.9MP), but the A9 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.76μm for the E-PL6) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A9 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 11 months) than the E-PL6, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A9 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A9 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-PL6 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A9 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Olympus PEN E-PL6 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A9 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-PL6 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A9 uses a Stacked BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

E-PL6 versus A9 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-PL6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.512.071768
2.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8112074
6.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
7.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.6103073
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8116274
11.
 
Olympus E-PL10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.313.1132476
12.
 
Olympus E-PM2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.293272
13.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
14.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
15.
 
Sony A7R III Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
16.
 
Sony A7R V Full Frame 60.2 9504 63368k/24p26.514.83187100
17.
 
Sony A9 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.0343493
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A9 provides a better video resolution than the E-PL6. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A9 has an electronic viewfinder (3686k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL6 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PL6 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-3. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-PL6, the Sony A9, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Olympus E-PL6optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
2.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
3.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
11.
 
Olympus E-PL10none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
12.
 
Olympus E-PM2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
13.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A7R III3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A7R V9440 n3.2 / 2100 full-flex Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A9 II3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
The E-PL6 has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the A9 does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A9 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Olympus E-PL6 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The E-PL6 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A9 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A9 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-PL6 only has one slot. The A9 supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the E-PL6 can use UHS-I cards.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Olympus PEN E-PL6 and Sony Alpha A9 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-PL6Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
3.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
11.
 
Olympus E-PL10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
12.
 
Olympus E-PM2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
13.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
14.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
15.
 
Sony A7R IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
16.
 
Sony A7R VYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
17.
 
Sony A9 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY

It is notable that the A9 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-PL6 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A9 (unlike the E-PL6) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the E-PL6 and the A9 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-PL6 was replaced by the Olympus E-PL7, while the A9 was followed by the Sony A9 II. Further information on the features and operation of the E-PL6 and A9 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-PL6 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A9 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-PL6 and the Sony A9? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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Reasons to prefer the Olympus PEN E-PL6:

  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (111x64mm vs 127x96mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 348g or 52 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (87 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in May 2013).

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Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A9:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
  • Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
  • Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1440k vs 460k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (650 versus 360) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Reflects 3 years and 11 months of technical progress since the E-PL6 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 is the clear winner of the contest (24 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-PL6 06:24 A9

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-PL6 and the Sony A9 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-PL6 and the A9 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-PL6............ May 2013 US$ 599ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 US$ 4 499ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 US$ 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 US$ 649ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III..+5/580/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2017 US$ 649ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 US$ 999ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL8........4.5/54/5 Sep 2016 US$ 549ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL9..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2018 US$ 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PL10....4/577/100..4/5 Oct 2019 US$ 599ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-PM23/5....77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 US$ 499ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 US$ 1 999ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
15.
 
Sony A7R III..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2017 US$ 3 199ebay.com
16.
 
Sony A7R V5/5+ +4.5/592/100.... Oct 2022 US$ 3 899 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A9 II....5/590/1005/55/5 Oct 2019 US$ 4 499 amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-PL6 vs Sony A9

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-PL6 Sony A9
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date May 2013 April 2017
    Launch Price USD 599 USD 4,499
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-PL6 Sony A9
    Sensor Technology CMOS Stacked BSI-CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 35.6 x 23.8 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 847.28 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 42.8 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 5.94 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 2.83 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO 50 - 204,800 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VI BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) .. 92
    DXO Color Depth (bits) .. 24.9
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) .. 13.3
    DXO Low Light (ISO) .. 3517
    Screen Specs Olympus E-PL6 Sony A9
    Viewfinder Type Viewfinder optional Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x
    Viewfinder Resolution 3686k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 460k dots 1440k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-PL6 Sony A9
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s 20 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/32000s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I Single UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-PL6 Sony A9
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-PL6 Sony A9
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-5 Sony NP-FZ100
    Battery Life (CIPA)360 shots per charge650 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 111 x 64 x 38 mm
    (4.4 x 2.5 x 1.5 in)
    127 x 96 x 63 mm
    (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.5 in)
    Camera Weight 325 g (11.5 oz) 673 g (23.7 oz)
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