Olympus PEN EPL9 review

Summary

Highly Recommended award The Mt. Olympus PEN E-PL9 is an unveiling-unwavering mirrorless system camera that will appeal to beginners, social photographers and vloggers. Its 16 Megapixel Quartet Thirds sensing element may be smaller and lower solution than the typical 24 Megapixel APSC sensors of rival models, but it's stabilized inside the body very effectively and delivers bully-looking images with rest; indeed it's only at very high ISOs that you get down to see the lower noise benefit of APSC sensors. The E-PL9's touchscreen flips down to face-forward for selfies and vlogging, again exploiting the excellent stabilisation, although this in turn blocks the tripod mount and the camera besides lacks a mike input. Unlike the Fujifilm X-A5 though, the 4k video is usable, supportive 30p for smooth motion, while the new AP position on the mode telephone dial gathers together each of the cunning Olympus shooting modes that may differently go unnoticed by new owners. Suggested, but compare tight with the Sony A5100, Canon EOS M100 and Fujifilm X-A5.

Buy up information technology immediately!

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Olympus PEN EPL9 reassessmen

6th August 2018

Written by

Deep

The Olympus PEN EPL9 is an ledger entry-level 16 Megapixel mirrorless photographic camera aimed at those wanting to upgrade from their smartphone and take the next step in creative photography. Announced in February 2018 it comes a year and a half after its predecessor, the Playpen EPL8, and like that fashion mode is designed to appeal to bloggers and sociable photographers. Comparable all PEN and OMD models to date, the EPL9 is based on the Micro Four Thirds orthodox, giving it access to the largest selection of native mirrorless lenses around.

Available in white, black or brown finishes, the Write out EPL9 looks and feels good in your custody, sports a larger and more than comfortable grip than its predecessor and usefully squeezes in a popup brassy, compared to the slide by-on accessory that came with the EPL8. As before, there's no built-in viewfinder (and now nary means to slot-in a viewfinder accessory) so you'll follow composing entirely with the screen. The screen can joust up aside 90 degrees operating theatre down aside 180 to face up the subject for selfies or vlogging, although when doing so you'll deflect the tripod saddle horse and so IT's handheld vlogging and selfies only. Mount Olympus has enhanced the touch-screen control though, allowing you to tap your way through the ART filters, scene presets and advanced modes. Speaking of which, the new AP position on the dial rounds-up most of the canny shooting modes that were antecedently unconnected (and a great deal lost) amongst menus, while the selection of ART filters gains new Bleach Bypass and Instant Film options.

The EPL9 sticks with the 16 Megapixel sensor of its predecessor, but couples it with the latest Olympus pictur processor which allows it to indorse 4k video at up to 30p for clips lasting prepared to fractional an hour. The EPL9 sensor is as wel stabilized within the body, allowing it to significantly reduce camera-shake with any lens you bind. The AF system has also been upgraded to 121 points covering most of the underframe, and the EPL9 now also includes Bluetooth to get to Wifi connections to your headphone for remote control and photo transfer easier; I'm substantiating about the GPS implementation. Many of the upgrades were previously seen on the recent OMD EM10 Mark III – and indeed the EPL9 could be considered as a viewfinder-less variation – but with its more compact physical structure, stylish looks and front-facing screen, it'll remain a popular prize with vloggers and bloggers ailke.

In my review I'll test the new features, see how IT measures-up for the objective audience, and how it compares to key rivals including the Fujifilm X-A5. So if you're looking for an entry-level mirrorless camera, read connected!

I'll start with a number one-looks video away Gordon to explain the highlights.

The Olympus PEN E-PL9 has undergone a redesign that goes beyond the merely cosmetic, though it does look cleaner, cooler and less 'gadgety' than before. The handgrip is today more substantial and the contours are generally a trifle softer. It's the same size equally its predecessor though, and weighs more or less the same. With the 14-42mm 'Battercake' powered zoom fitted, IT will fit well in a handbag or even a jacket crown pocket, and is a bit more portable than the Fujifilm X-A5 which has a similar sized dead body, but larger lenses.

The top board finally sees the introduction of a built-in flash which is extended via a small button on the buns. The E-PL9 still sports a hotshoe for an external flash and other accessories, but the Accessory Embrasure, which could lodge in optional extras like a viewfinder, microphone and lighting has been discontinued. The mode dial is slightly large than before and ,as before, the single control dial surrounds the shutter release.

Aside from a redesigned thumb residue, the back of the PEN E-PL9 looks very like to its predecessor. The 3 inch 1040k dot 3:2 proportioned touch screen has very confusable specifications to that on the Fujufilm X-A5. Some screens alternate forwards to face you for selfies, but whereas the X-A5's screen door folds above the camera dead body, the PEN E-PL9's goes in the opposite direction and appears at a lower place. While it seems a bit strange at first-class honours degree, I don't think out there's some of an advantage one manner or the some other. Both provide a clear view of the screen when it's facing you, but on the X-A5 the hotshoe is obstructed and along the E-PL9 you can't usage the tripod mount.

Side-by-root here you can see that there's little to separate the X-A5 and E-PL9 in damage of size and weight, leastways as far as the body goes. Because of its physically larger APS C sensor The X-A5's X-organization lenses are a bit big than the E-PL9's Little Four Thirds lenses. In practical terms this means you can comfortably in condition the E-PL9 with its powered kit lens in a surface, or even jacket pocket, only the X-A5 is more of a fistful. With the cameras powered off and the lenses retracted (as they are in this shot) the E-PL9's depth is 60mm compared with 83mm for the X-A5.

Here's the angle of view with the 14-42mm kit lens connected the PEN E-PL9. There's a slightly to a lesser extent overpriced non-power-driven version of this lens, but it's not quite as clayey, though it covers the same 28-84mm 35mm-equivalent range. The Fujifilm X-A5's powered kit zoom has a significantly wider 23-69mm equivalent browse which gives you a trifle more scope when frame selfies – especially for small groups – Eastern Samoa well as for shooting in cramped interiors.

At the other conclusion of the range, the PEN E-PL9's 84mm gets you a little tighter than the 69mm equivalent of the X-A5's lens. That same, both make a bonny business for portraits, though the f5.6 maximum aperture when zoomed in means you need to hold bac backgrounds a few metres distant in order to obnubilate them. Of course of instruction, there's naught to stop you just a different lens and Micro Quaternary Thirds owners have a inaccurate range to choose from. See Gordon's Best Micro Four Thirds lenses steer.

In practice, I establish the closest I could focussing with the 14-42mm EZ genus Lens on the E-PL9 was 85mm which isn't nearly close sufficient to fill the frame with a small branch of knowledg like an insect or small flower. If you're into big photography, you'll probably need to invest in another lens system, similar the Lumix 30mm f2.8 Macro or Olympus 60mm macro.

The PEN E-PL9 offers a number of video modes, they're not tied to movie stock As on the X-A5, just are more prosaically onymous – Natural, Vivid, Muted, Portraiture, Monochrome etc. Equally on the X-A5 the Penitentiary E-PL9 allows you to model the use of coloured filters for black and white photography.

There's also a wide range of Art filter effects including among others, Pop, Art, Cross Process, Dramatic Whole step, Florida key Business, Vintage, Partial Colour, and the recently introduced Decolour Bypass and (above) Instant Film.

For this clip I gear up the PEN E-PL9 to its 1080 / 60p video mode with the stabilisation enabled. The occasional halts in the panning motion are about likely caused away the stabilization. The PEN E-PL9 employs sensor shift likewise as optional extremity stabilization. For a panning slam like this it's probably best to turn off the digital stabilization. Otherwise, the lineament is excellent, though there a visible shift in the white balance part way through. The another thing to note here is in that respect's no perceptible noise from the zoom efferent.

Once again in 1080 / 60p mode, and with the stabilisation on, this contralto-lighter-than-air indoor trash looks effective in terms of the resound lineament. The E-PL9 handles the hot balance well in artful mixed lighting, but the sustained Af takes a little wander part way finished, before correcting itself.

For this vlogging cartridge clip the Playpen E-PL9 is again in 1080 / 60p mode, with the crystalline lens set apart to the 14mm maximum wide angle and the screen flipped into the forward lining office down the stairs the camera body. Here's where the dual stabilisation really comes into its own, doing a important job of keeping things steady. With the screen in its forward-facing position to a lower place the camera, you can't mount it on a tripod, only it's comfortable enough to hold and the record button is smooth to reach – Olympus puts a soft memorialise button on the screen when it's forward facing, which is nice, but non completely that practical for unsupported operation.

Finally, here's a short clip transcription in the PEN E-PL9's 4K / 30p mode. Unlike the Fujifilm X-A5's 4K 15p mode, the E-PL9 produces good superior 4K video that captures smooth motion perfectly. That makes IT the clear winner if 4K quality is a essential have – the X-A5's 4K mode is really but good for the 8 Megapixel 15fps volley shot modes it provides.

The Penitentiary E-PL9 is equipped with Wifi and Bluetooth for double transfer and remote operation of the camera victimization your smartphone. The Bluetooth joining can be wont to maintain a link and conveyance images with the tv camera plane when it's switched off. The Olympus OI Share app provides very much more control finished the camera when remote shooting than the Fujifilm X-A5. I was pleased to discover that I could function the powered soar upwards from my iPhone as well as set the AF area, change the ISO and E. B. White balance and even switch shooting mode – that's perpendicular, even if the mode dial is assail, say, program auto manner, you can select any of the other PASM modes, the ART, SCN and motion picture positions.

The E-PL9's novel panorama feature is sensible one of the modes available with the mood dial in the newborn High Exposure mood position; others include Live Composite, Live Prison term (long exposures that you can view on screen as they happen), Multiple Exposure, HDR and expoosure and pore bracketing. It works in the familiar way – you pan while rotating the camera in either portrait operating room landscape predilection and the results are car-stitched in the camera. You're non prevented from zooming the lens, and information technology appears to work with any lens attached providing, according to Olympus, either 2x or 4x the normal angle of view in Std or Full mode.

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