A potelyt.com – Photography & Imaging Resources
ad

When you use links on apotelyt.com to buy products,
the site may earn a commission.

PW

Nikon D90 vs Olympus E-M1

The Nikon D90 and the Olympus OM-D E-M1 are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2008 and September 2013. The D90 is a DSLR, while the E-M1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (D90) and a Four Thirds (E-M1) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 15.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Nikon D90
versus
Olympus E-M1
Nikon D90   Olympus E-M1
Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
Nikon F mount lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
12.2 MP – APS-C sensor 15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
720/24p Video 1080/30p Video
ISO 200-3,200 (200 - 6,400) ISO 200-25,600
Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 920k dots 3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Tilting touchscreen
4.5 shutter flaps per second 10 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
850 shots per battery charge350 shots per battery charge
132 x 103 x 77 mm, 703 g 130 x 94 x 63 mm, 497 g
logo
Check D90 offers at
ebay.com
logo
Check E-M1 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D90 and the Olympus OM-D E-M1? 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.

ad

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon D90 and the Olympus E-M1. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-M1 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the D90 is only available in black.

Size Nikon D90 vs Olympus E-M1
Compare D90 versus E-M1 top
Comparison D90 or E-M1 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-M1 is notably smaller (10 percent) than the Nikon D90. Moreover, the E-M1 is markedly lighter (29 percent) than the D90. It is noteworthy in this context that the E-M1 is splash and dust-proof, while the D90 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 Nikon Lens Catalog (D90) and the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-M1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the E-M1, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the D90 gets 850 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL3e battery, while the E-M1 can take 350 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLN-1 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

scroll hint
Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D90 132 mm 103 mm 77 mm 703 g 850 n Aug 2008 1,299ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-M1 130 mm 94 mm 63 mm 497 g 350 Y Sep 2013 1,399ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 40D 146 mm 108 mm 74 mm 822 g 750 n Aug 2007 1,299ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D40X 124 mm 94 mm 64 mm 522 g 520 n Mar 2007 729ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D60 126 mm 94 mm 64 mm 522 g 500 n Jan 2008 629ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D80 132 mm 103 mm 77 mm 668 g 600 n Aug 2006 999ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D300 147 mm 114 mm 74 mm 925 g 1000 Y Aug 2007 1,799ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D300S 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 938 g 950 Y Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D3000 126 mm 97 mm 64 mm 536 g 500 n Jul 2009 599ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D3100 124 mm 96 mm 75 mm 505 g 550 n Aug 2010 599ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D5000 127 mm 104 mm 80 mm 590 g 510 n Apr 2009 749ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D7000 132 mm 105 mm 77 mm 780 g 1050 Y Sep 2010 1,499ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-M1 II 134 mm 91 mm 67 mm 574 g 440 Y Sep 2016 1,999ebay.com
14.
 
Olympus E-M5 122 mm 89 mm 43 mm 425 g 360 Y Feb 2012 1,299ebay.com
15.
 
Olympus E-M5 II 124 mm 85 mm 45 mm 469 g 310 Y Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
16.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
17.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D90 was somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the E-M1 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D90 features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-M1 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M1 is 40 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.0. The sensor in the D90 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-M1 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Nikon D90 and Olympus E-M1 sensor measures

Despite having a smaller sensor, the E-M1 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12.2 MP of the D90. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 5.53μm for the D90). However, it should be noted that the E-M1 is much more recent (by 5 years) than the D90, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M1 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-M1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-M1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D90 are 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.5 x 36.2 cm for good quality, 17.2 x 11.4 inches or 43.6 x 28.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.3 x 9.5 inches or 36.3 x 24.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The E-M1 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Nikon D90 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 200-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus OM-D E-M1 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

D90 versus E-M1 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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

scroll hint
Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon D90 APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.712.597773
2.
 
Olympus E-M1 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.775773
3.
 
Canon 40D APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.111.370364
4.
 
Nikon D40X APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.411.451663
5.
 
Nikon D60 APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.511.456265
6.
 
Nikon D80 APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.111.252461
7.
 
Nikon D300 APS-C 12.2 4288 2848none22.112.067967
8.
 
Nikon D300S APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.512.278770
9.
 
Nikon D3000 APS-C 10.0 3872 2592none22.311.156362
10.
 
Nikon D3100 APS-C 14.2 4608 30721080/24p22.511.391967
11.
 
Nikon D5000 APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.712.586872
12.
 
Nikon D7000 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/24p23.513.9116780
13.
 
Olympus E-M1 II Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.712.8131280
14.
 
Olympus E-M5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i22.812.382671
15.
 
Olympus E-M5 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.012.584273
16.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
17.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the E-M1 provides a better video resolution than the D90. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 720/24p.

ad

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M1 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the D90 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the E-M1 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D90 (96%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the E-M1 has a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.63x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon D90 and Olympus E-M1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

scroll hint
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.
 
Nikon D90optical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 4.5/s Y n
2.
 
Olympus E-M12360 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
3.
 
Canon 40Doptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 6.5/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D40Xoptical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D60optical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
6.
 
Nikon D80optical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D300optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D300Soptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
9.
 
Nikon D3000optical n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
10.
 
Nikon D3100optical n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Nikon D5000optical n2.7 / 230 full-flex n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
12.
 
Nikon D7000optical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
13.
 
Olympus E-M1 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 18.0/s n Y
14.
 
Olympus E-M51440 n3.0 / 610 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s n Y
15.
 
Olympus E-M5 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
16.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
17.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D90 has one, while the E-M1 does not. While the built-in flash of the D90 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 E-M1 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-M1 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 D90 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the E-M1 uses SDXC cards. The E-M1 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the D90 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

ad

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 Nikon D90 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

scroll hint
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.
 
Nikon D90Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Olympus E-M1Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
3.
 
Canon 40DY- / ----2.0---
4.
 
Nikon D40XY- / ----2.0---
5.
 
Nikon D60Y- / ----2.0---
6.
 
Nikon D80Y- / ----2.0---
7.
 
Nikon D300Y- / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Nikon D300SYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
9.
 
Nikon D3000Y- / ----2.0---
10.
 
Nikon D3100Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Nikon D5000Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
12.
 
Nikon D7000Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
13.
 
Olympus E-M1 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y--
14.
 
Olympus E-M5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
15.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
16.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
17.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--

It is notable that the E-M1 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D90 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-M1 (unlike the D90) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the D90 and the E-M1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D90 was replaced by the Nikon D7000, while the E-M1 was followed by the Olympus E-M1 II. Further information on the features and operation of the D90 and E-M1 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D90 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M1 Manual.

ad

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D90 or the Olympus E-M1 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

ilogo

Advantages of the Nikon D90:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.4 stops ISO advantage).
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (850 versus 350) on a single battery charge.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2008).

ilogo

Arguments in favor of the Olympus OM-D E-M1:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (15.9 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 12%.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/24p).
  • 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.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 96%).
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.63x).
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 920k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 4.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 206g or 29 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
  • More modern: Reflects 5 years of technical progress since the D90 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-M1 is the clear winner of the contest (23 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

D90 07:23 E-M1

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D90 and the Olympus E-M1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the D90 or the E-M1 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. 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.

scroll hint
Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D90..+ +..+ +4/54.5/5 Aug 2008 1,299ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-M15/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2013 1,399ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 40D..+ +..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 1,299ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D40X..79/100..+ +4/54/5 Mar 2007 729ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D60..80/100..+ +4/54.5/5 Jan 2008 629ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D80..+..+ +o4.5/5 Aug 2006 999ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D300..+ +..+ +5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 1,799ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D300S5/5+ +..82/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 1,799ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D3000..+..72/1004/54.5/5 Jul 2009 599ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D31005/5+ +..72/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2010 599ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D5000..+ +..75/1004/54.5/5 Apr 2009 749ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D70004/5....80/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2010 1,499ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-M1 II5/5+ +5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 1,999ebay.com
14.
 
Olympus E-M54/5+ +..80/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2012 1,299ebay.com
15.
 
Olympus E-M5 II5/5+ +4.5/581/1005/55/5 Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
16.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
17.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,199ebay.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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

logo
Check D90 offers at
ebay.com
logo
Check E-M1 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

~
    loader
    ad

    Specifications: Nikon D90 vs Olympus E-M1

    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 Nikon D90 Olympus E-M1
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Nikon F mount lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date August 2008 September 2013
    Launch Price USD 1,299 USD 1,399
    Sensor Specs Nikon D90 Olympus E-M1
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.6 x 15.8 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 372.88 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.4 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 12.2 Megapixels 15.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4288 x 2848 pixels 4608 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.53 μm 3.76 μm
    Pixel Density 3.28 MP/cm2 7.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 720/24p Video 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 3,200 ISO 200 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 200 - 6,400 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED TruePIC VII
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 73 73
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.7 23.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.5 12.7
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 977 757
    Screen Specs Nikon D90 Olympus E-M1
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 96% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.63x 0.74x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 920k dots 1037k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Nikon D90 Olympus E-M1
    Focus System Phase-detect AF On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 4.5 shutter flaps/s 10 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations150 000 actuations
    Electronic Shutterno E-ShutterYES
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDHC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support no UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Nikon D90 Olympus E-M1
    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
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Body Specs Nikon D90 Olympus E-M1
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Nikon EN-EL3e Olympus BLN-1
    Battery Life (CIPA)850 shots per charge350 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 132 x 103 x 77 mm
    (5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 in)
    130 x 94 x 63 mm
    (5.1 x 3.7 x 2.5 in)
    Camera Weight 703 g (24.8 oz) 497 g (17.5 oz)
    logo
    Check D90 offers at
    ebay.com
    logo
    Check E-M1 offers at
    ebay.com

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

    You are here Home  »  CAM-parator  »  Nikon D90 vs Olympus E-M1