Olympus E-1 vs Canon T6

The Olympus E-1 and the Canon EOS Rebel T6 (labelled Canon 1300D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in June 2003 and March 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-1) and an APS-C (T6) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 4.9 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 17.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-1		Canon T6
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
4.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-800 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 134k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
750 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
141 x 104 x 81 mm, 738 g		129 x 101 x 78 mm, 485 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus E-1 and the Canon EOS Rebel T6? 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.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus E-1 and the Canon T6 are illustrated 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon T6 is notably smaller (11 percent) than the Olympus E-1. Moreover, the T6 is markedly lighter (34 percent) than the E-1. It is worth mentioning in this context that the E-1 is splash and dust resistant, while the T6 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 Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-1) and the Canon EF Lens Catalog (T6).

Concerning battery life, the E-1 gets 750 shots out of its Olympus BLM-1 battery, while the T6 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E10 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-1	141 mm	104 mm	81 mm	738 g	750	Y	Jun 2003	1,699	ebay.com
2.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
8.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
10.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-3	142 mm	116 mm	75 mm	876 g	750	Y	Oct 2007	1,699	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-5	142 mm	117 mm	75 mm	873 g	750	Y	Sep 2010	1,699	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

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 T6 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 74 percent) than the E-1, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-1 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Canon T6 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the T6 is 48 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.6. The sensor in the E-1 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the T6 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 17.9MP, the T6 offers a higher resolution than the E-1 (4.9MP), but the T6 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 6.78μm for the E-1). Yet, the T6 is a much more recent model (by 12 years and 8 months) than the E-1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon T6 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the T6 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-1 are 12.8 x 9.6 inches or 32.5 x 24.4 cm for good quality, 10.2 x 7.7 inches or 26 x 19.5 cm for very good quality, and 8.5 x 6.4 inches or 21.7 x 16.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus E-1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 800, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T6 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-1 is build around a CCD sensor, while the T6 uses a 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.

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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Olympus E-1	Four Thirds	4.9	2560	1920	none	20.0	9.7	-145	44
2.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
4.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
5.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
6.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
7.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
8.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
9.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
10.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
11.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
12.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
13.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
14.		Olympus E-3	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.6	10.5	571	56
15.		Olympus E-5	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	720/30p	21.6	10.5	519	56
16.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
17.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The T6 indeed provides for movie recording, while the E-1 does not. The highest resolution format that the T6 can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The E-1 and the T6 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the E-1 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the T6 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the T6 has a higher magnification (0.50x vs 0.48x), 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 Olympus E-1 and Canon T6 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		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-1	optical	Y	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
2.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
7.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Olympus E-3	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Olympus E-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
17.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the E-1, but is missing on the T6 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The E-1 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or xD Picture cards, while the T6 uses SDXC cards. The E-1 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the T6 only has one slot.

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 E-1 and Canon EOS Rebel T6 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Olympus E-1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-3	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Olympus E-5	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the T6 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-1 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Olympus E-1 (unlike the T6) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the E-1 and the T6 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-1 was replaced by the Olympus E-3, while the T6 was followed by the Canon T7. Further information on the features and operation of the E-1 and T6 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-1 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T6 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus E-1 better than the Canon T6 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Olympus E-1:

• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• 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.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2003).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Rebel T6:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (17.9 vs 4.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 95%.
• 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.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.50x vs 0.48x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 134k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (129x101mm vs 141x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 253g or 34 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• 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.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (74 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 12 years and 8 months of technical progress since the E-1 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the T6 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 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 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-1 and the Canon T6 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-1 or the T6. 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 hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-1	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jun 2003	1,699	ebay.com
2.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
8.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
10.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-3	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	4/5	Oct 2007	1,699	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-5	4/5	..	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,699	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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