Olympus E-M10 III vs E-PL1
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the Olympus PEN E-PL1 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2017 and February 2010. Both the E-M10 III and the E-PL1 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-M10 III has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the E-PL1 provides 12.2 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and the Olympus PEN E-PL1? 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
An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-M10 III and the Olympus E-PL1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The E-M10 III can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the E-PL1 is available in four color-versions (black, blue, yellow, white).
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-PL1 is notably smaller (19 percent) than the Olympus E-M10 III. Moreover, the E-PL1 is markedly lighter (19 percent) than the E-M10 III. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-M10 III nor the E-PL1 are weather-sealed.
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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog. 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-M10 III gets 330 shots out of its Olympus BLS-50 battery, while the E-PL1 can take 290 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-1 power pack.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-M10 III | 122 mm | 84 mm | 50 mm | 410 g | 330 | n | Aug 2017 | US$ 649 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-PL1 | 115 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 334 g | 290 | n | Feb 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Olympus E-M10 | 119 mm | 82 mm | 46 mm | 396 g | 320 | n | Jan 2014 | US$ 699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-M10 II | 120 mm | 83 mm | 47 mm | 390 g | 320 | n | Aug 2015 | US$ 649 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-M10 IV | 122 mm | 84 mm | 49 mm | 383 g | 360 | n | Aug 2020 | US$ 699 | amazon.com | |
6. | Olympus E-P1 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Jun 2009 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-P2 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Nov 2009 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 34 mm | 369 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 362 g | 280 | n | Jan 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 37 mm | 313 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-PL6 | 111 mm | 64 mm | 38 mm | 325 g | 360 | n | May 2013 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-PL7 | 115 mm | 67 mm | 38 mm | 357 g | 350 | n | Aug 2014 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-PL8 | 115 mm | 67 mm | 38 mm | 357 g | 350 | n | Sep 2016 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-PL9 | 117 mm | 68 mm | 39 mm | 380 g | 350 | n | Feb 2018 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-PL10 | 117 mm | 68 mm | 39 mm | 380 g | 350 | n | Oct 2019 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus PEN-F | 125 mm | 72 mm | 37 mm | 427 g | 330 | n | Jan 2016 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
17. | Panasonic GX85 | 122 mm | 71 mm | 44 mm | 426 g | 290 | n | Apr 2016 | US$ 799 | amazon.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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The E-PL1 was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the E-M10 III 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.
In terms of chip-set technology, the E-M10 III uses a more advanced image processing engine (TruePic VIII) than the E-PL1 (Truepic V), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.
While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-M10 III offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12.2 MP of the E-PL1. This megapixels advantage translates into a 14 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-M10 III has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 4.29μm for the E-PL1). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the E-M10 III is much more recent (by 7 years and 6 months) than the E-PL1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M10 III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-M10 III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-M10 III 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 Olympus E-PL1 are 20.2 x 15.1 inches or 51.2 x 38.4 cm for good quality, 16.1 x 12.1 inches or 41 x 30.7 cm for very good quality, and 13.4 x 10.1 inches or 34.1 x 25.6 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III 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 Olympus PEN E-PL1 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200 (no boost).
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.
Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-M10 III | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.1 | 12.8 | 1120 | 74 | |
2. | Olympus E-PL1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.1 | 487 | 54 | |
3. | Olympus E-M10 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 884 | 72 | |
4. | Olympus E-M10 II | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.5 | 842 | 73 | |
5. | Olympus E-M10 IV | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.3 | 13.2 | 1402 | 76 | |
6. | Olympus E-P1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.4 | 536 | 55 | |
7. | Olympus E-P2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.4 | 505 | 56 | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.8 | 10.1 | 536 | 51 | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.2 | 573 | 55 | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.9 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
11. | Olympus E-PL6 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.5 | 12.0 | 717 | 68 | |
12. | Olympus E-PL7 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.7 | 12.4 | 873 | 72 | |
13. | Olympus E-PL8 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.0 | 12.6 | 1030 | 73 | |
14. | Olympus E-PL9 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.1 | 12.8 | 1162 | 74 | |
15. | Olympus E-PL10 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 4K/30p | 23.3 | 13.1 | 1324 | 76 | |
16. | Olympus PEN-F | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 1080/60p | 23.1 | 12.4 | 894 | 74 | |
17. | Panasonic GX85 | Four Thirds | 15.8 | 4592 | 3448 | 4K/30p | 22.9 | 12.6 | 662 | 71 | |
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the E-M10 III provides a higher video resolution than the E-PL1. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the E-PL1 is limited to 720/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the E-M10 III has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL1 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PL1 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-2. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-M10 III and Olympus E-PL1 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
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-M10 III | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.6/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Olympus E-PL1 | optional | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
3. | Olympus E-M10 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
4. | Olympus E-M10 II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
5. | Olympus E-M10 IV | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 15.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Olympus E-P1 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
7. | Olympus E-P2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 614 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
11. | Olympus E-PL6 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
12. | Olympus E-PL7 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
13. | Olympus E-PL8 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1037 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Olympus E-PL9 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.6/s | Y | Y | |
15. | Olympus E-PL10 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.6/s | Y | Y | |
16. | Olympus PEN-F | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Panasonic GX85 | 2765 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The E-M10 III has a touchscreen, while the E-PL1 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.
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-M10 III 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-M10 III 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-M10 III writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the E-PL1 uses SDHC cards. The E-M10 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the E-PL1 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.
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 OM-D E-M10 Mark III and Olympus PEN E-PL1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-M10 III | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
2. | Olympus E-PL1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Olympus E-M10 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
4. | Olympus E-M10 II | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
5. | Olympus E-M10 IV | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
6. | Olympus E-P1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Olympus E-P2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-PL6 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Olympus E-PL7 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
13. | Olympus E-PL8 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
14. | Olympus E-PL9 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
15. | Olympus E-PL10 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
16. | Olympus PEN-F | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
17. | Panasonic GX85 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | - |
It is notable that the E-M10 III offers wifi support, while the E-PL1 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.
Both the E-M10 III and the E-PL1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-PL1 was replaced by the Olympus E-PL2, while the E-M10 III was followed by the Olympus E-M10 IV. Further information on the features and operation of the E-M10 III and E-PL1 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-M10 III Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PL1 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-M10 III and the Olympus E-PL1? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III:
- More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.9 vs 12.2MP) with a 14% higher linear resolution.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (TruePic VIII vs Truepic V).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 720/30p).
- Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8.6 vs 3 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.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (330 versus 290) on a single battery charge.
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Faster buffer clearing: Supports Ultra High Speed (UHS-II) SDXC cards.
- More modern: Reflects 7 years and 6 months of technical progress since the E-PL1 launch.
Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PL1:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- More compact: Is smaller (115x72mm vs 122x84mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 76g or 19 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2010).
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-M10 III is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 4 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-M10 III and the Olympus E-PL1 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-M10 III or the E-PL1. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-M10 III | .. | + | 5/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2017 | US$ 649 | ebay.com | |
2. | Olympus E-PL1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
3. | Olympus E-M10 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2014 | US$ 699 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-M10 II | 4.5/5 | + + | .. | 80/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2015 | US$ 649 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus E-M10 IV | 4.5/5 | .. | 5/5 | 81/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2020 | US$ 699 | amazon.com | |
6. | Olympus E-P1 | .. | + | .. | 66/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2009 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-P2 | 3/5 | + | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2009 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-P3 | .. | 83/100 | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-PL2 | 3/5 | 83/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-PL3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-PL6 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | May 2013 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
12. | Olympus E-PL7 | 4/5 | + | .. | .. | 5/5 | 4/5 | Aug 2014 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
13. | Olympus E-PL8 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2016 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
14. | Olympus E-PL9 | .. | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2018 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
15. | Olympus E-PL10 | .. | .. | 4/5 | 77/100 | .. | 4/5 | Oct 2019 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
16. | Olympus PEN-F | .. | .. | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2016 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
17. | Panasonic GX85 | 4.5/5 | + + | .. | 82/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2016 | US$ 799 | amazon.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
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 use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon 20D vs Olympus E-PL1
- Canon 30D vs Olympus E-PL1
- Canon 77D vs Olympus E-PL1
- Canon M6 vs Olympus E-M10 III
- Canon R100 vs Olympus E-M10 III
- Kodak S-1 vs Olympus E-M10 III
- Leica V-LUX Typ 114 vs Olympus E-PL1
- Nikon 1 V1 vs Olympus E-M10 III
- Nikon D100 vs Olympus E-PL1
- Nikon D780 vs Olympus E-M10 III
- Nikon D800E vs Olympus E-M10 III
- Olympus E-PL1 vs Pentax Q
Specifications: Olympus E-M10 III vs Olympus E-PL1
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 Model | Olympus E-M10 III | Olympus E-PL1 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Micro Four Thirds lenses | Micro Four Thirds lenses |
Launch Date | August 2017 | February 2010 |
Launch Price | USD 649 | USD 599 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-M10 III | Olympus E-PL1 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | Four Thirds Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 17.3 x 13.0 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 224.9 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 21.6 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 2.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 15.9 Megapixels | 12.2 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4608 x 3456 pixels | 4032 x 3024 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 3.76 μm | 4.29 μm |
Pixel Density | 7.08 MP/cm2 | 5.42 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | no AA filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 720/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 200 - 25,600 ISO | 200 - 3,200 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 25,600 ISO | no Enhancement |
Image Processor | TruePic VIII | Truepic V |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | .. | 54 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | .. | 21.5 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | .. | 10.1 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | .. | 487 |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-M10 III | Olympus E-PL1 |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Viewfinder optional |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.62x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2360k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 2.7inch |
LCD Resolution | 1040k dots | 230k dots |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Fixed screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | no Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-M10 III | Olympus E-PL1 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | Contrast-detect AF |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | no Peaking Feature |
Continuous Shooting | 8.6 shutter flaps/s | 3 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | up to 1/16000s | no E-Shutter |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | no Intervalometer |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | SDHC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | UHS-II | no |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-M10 III | Olympus E-PL1 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | mini HDMI |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Olympus E-M10 III | Olympus E-PL1 |
Battery Type | Olympus BLS-50 | Olympus BLS-1 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 330 shots per charge | 290 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
122 x 84 x 50 mm (4.8 x 3.3 x 2.0 in) |
115 x 72 x 42 mm (4.5 x 2.8 x 1.7 in) |
Camera Weight | 410 g (14.5 oz) | 334 g (11.8 oz) |
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