What is the pixel pitch of the Olympus E-M1?
The Olympus OM-D E-M1 provides 15.9 megapixels from a Four Thirds sensor. This pixel density gives rise to a size of the individual pixel of 3.76µm.
The pixel size or pixel pitch can be calculated by dividing the sensor area by the pixel count and then taking the square root. In particular, the sensor in the Olympus E-M1 measures 17.3mm in width and 13.0mm in height, so that the total imaging area of the sensor amounts to 225 mm2. Moreover, the E-M1 has 4 608 horizontal pixels and 3 456 vertical pixels, for a total of 15.9 megapixels. Then, the size (height or width) of each individual pixel can be calculated as the square root of the ratio of the sensor area (225 mm2) to the MP count (15 925 248).
Larger pixels provide advantages with respect to gathering light, particularly in low-light situations. Large pixels notably have a better signal to noise ratio, meaning that they can better differentiate between incoming photons and the noisy signals that the internal processes of the camera create. As a result, big pixels are particularly helpful to the photographer when shooting with high ISO settings.
Sensor specs and performance
The table below compares the sensor specs of the Olympus E-M1 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better), covering color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-M1 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.0 | 12.7 | 757 | 73 | |
2. | Olympus E-M1 II | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.7 | 12.8 | 1312 | 80 | |
3. | Olympus E-M5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60i | 22.8 | 12.3 | 826 | 71 | |
4. | Olympus E-M5 II | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 23.0 | 12.5 | 842 | 73 | |
5. | Olympus E-M10 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 884 | 72 | |
6. | Olympus E-P5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.4 | 895 | 72 | |
7. | Olympus PEN-F | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.4 | 894 | 74 | |
8. | Panasonic G80 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 4K/30p | 22.8 | 12.5 | 656 | 71 | |
9. | Panasonic GH3 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 22.7 | 12.4 | 812 | 71 | |
10. | Panasonic GH4 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.2 | 12.8 | 791 | 74 | |
11. | Panasonic GX8 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.5 | 12.6 | 806 | 75 |
Further information on the sensor in the Olympus E-M1 and the camera's operation can be found in the camera manual.
In the United States, the E-M1 was initially launched in September 2013 at a price of $1,399.
Camera to camera comparisons
In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just use the search menu below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon G3 X vs Nikon Z6
- Canon M200 vs Nikon Z6
- Leica D-LUX 6 vs Nikon Z6
- Leica M10-R vs Nikon Z6
- Leica S Typ 006 vs Olympus E-M1
- Leica S2 vs Olympus E-M1
- Nikon D7500 vs Nikon Z6
- Nikon Z6 vs Sony NEX-5R
- Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus E-M10 III
- Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic GF3
- Olympus E-M1 vs Sony HX99
- Olympus E-M1 vs Sony RX1R
Camera Model | Olympus E-M1 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
Camera Lens | Micro Four Thirds lenses | |
Launch Date | September 2013 | |
Launch Price | USD 1 399 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | |
Sensor Area | 225 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | |
Sensor Resolution | 15.9 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 4 608 x 3 456 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 3.76 μm | |
Pixel Density | 7.08 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | no AA filter | |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | |
ISO Setting | 200 - 25 600 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 100 - 25 600 ISO | |
Image Processor | TruePIC VII | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 73 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 23.0 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 12.7 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 757 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.74x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2360k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 1037k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | |
V-logging Friendliness | No front-flip | |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 10 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 150 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | Electronic Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | Intervalometer Built-in | |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
UHS card support | UHS-I | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
Body Specs | ||
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | |
Battery Type | Olympus BLN-1 power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 350 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
130 x 94 x 63 mm (5.1 x 3.7 x 2.5 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 497 g (17.5 oz) |
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