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Olympus E-P7 vs E-PL9

The Olympus PEN E-P7 and the Olympus PEN E-PL9 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2021 and February 2018. Both the E-P7 and the E-PL9 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The E-P7 has a resolution of 20.2 megapixels, whereas the E-PL9 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
Olympus E-P7
versus
Olympus E-PL9
Olympus E-P7   Olympus E-PL9
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor 15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 200-25,600 ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
8.7 shutter flaps per second 8.6 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
360 shots per battery charge350 shots per battery charge
118 x 69 x 38 mm, 337 g 117 x 68 x 39 mm, 380 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus PEN E-P7 and the Olympus PEN E-PL9? 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-P7 and the Olympus E-PL9 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-P7 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the E-PL9 is available in four color-versions (black, brown, blue, white).

Size Olympus E-P7 vs Olympus E-PL9
Compare E-P7 versus E-PL9 top
Comparison E-P7 or E-PL9 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-PL9 is somewhat smaller (2 percent) than the Olympus E-P7. However, the E-PL9 is markedly heavier (13 percent) than the E-P7. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-P7 nor the E-PL9 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.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-P7 118 mm 69 mm 38 mm 337 g 360 n Jun 2021 799 amazon.com
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Feb 2018 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV 122 mm 84 mm 49 mm 383 g 360 n Aug 2020 699 amazon.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Oct 2019 599ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III 122 mm 84 mm 50 mm 410 g 330 n Aug 2017 649ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Sep 2016 549ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus PEN-F 125 mm 72 mm 37 mm 427 g 330 n Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 119 mm 82 mm 46 mm 396 g 320 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-P5 122 mm 69 mm 37 mm 420 g 330 n May 2013 999ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-P3 122 mm 69 mm 34 mm 369 g 330 n Jun 2011 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-P1 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Jun 2009 799ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-P2 121 mm 70 mm 36 mm 355 g 300 n Nov 2009 799ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GX9 124 mm 72 mm 47 mm 407 g 260 n Feb 2018 849ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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-PL9 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the E-P7, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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 generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 2.0. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Olympus E-P7 and Olympus E-PL9 sensor measures

With 20.2MP, the E-P7 offers a higher resolution than the E-PL9 (15.9MP), but the E-P7 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.34μm versus 3.76μm for the E-PL9). However, the E-P7 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 4 months) than the E-PL9, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Olympus E-P7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the E-P7 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-PL9 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Olympus PEN E-P7 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-PL9 are ISO 200 to ISO 6400, 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.

E-P7 versus E-PL9 MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-P7 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.413.3149477
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8116274
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.313.2140276
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.313.1132476
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8112074
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.6103073
7.
 
Olympus PEN-F Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38881080/60p23.112.489474
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
9.
 
Olympus E-M10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388472
10.
 
Olympus E-P5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.489572
11.
 
Olympus E-P3 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 30241080/60i20.810.153651
12.
 
Olympus E-P1 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.410.453655
13.
 
Olympus E-P2 Four Thirds 12.2 4032 3024720/30p21.510.450556
14.
 
Panasonic GX9 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.112.8116374
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-P7 and the E-PL9 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-P7, the Olympus E-PL9, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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-P7none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.7/s Y Y
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 15.0/s Y Y
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
7.
 
Olympus PEN-F2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Olympus E-M101440 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Olympus E-P5optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Olympus E-P3optional n3.0 / 614 fixed Y 1/4000s 3.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Olympus E-P1none n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
13.
 
Olympus E-P2optional n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s n Y
14.
 
Panasonic GX92760 n3.0 / 1240 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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-P7 and the Olympus E-PL9 both have 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-P7 and the E-PL9 write their files to SDXC cards. The E-P7 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the E-PL9 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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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 PEN E-P7 and Olympus PEN E-PL9 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-P7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 IVYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus PEN-FYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-M10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
10.
 
Olympus E-P5Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
11.
 
Olympus E-P3Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
12.
 
Olympus E-P1Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
13.
 
Olympus E-P2Ystereo / ---mini2.0---
14.
 
Panasonic GX9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
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The E-P7 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Olympus. In contrast, the E-PL9 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-PL9 was succeeded by the Olympus E-PL10. Further information on the features and operation of the E-P7 and E-PL9 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-P7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-PL9 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Olympus E-P7 better than the Olympus E-PL9 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Reasons to prefer the Olympus PEN E-P7:

  • More detail: Offers more megapixels (20.2 vs 15.9MP) with a 13% higher linear resolution.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 43g or 11 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Reflects 3 years and 4 months of technical progress since the E-PL9 launch.


Arguments in favor of the Olympus PEN E-PL9:

  • More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2018).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the E-P7 emerges as the winner of the contest (4 : 2 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.

E-P7 04:02 E-PL9

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-P7 and the Olympus E-PL9 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the E-P7 or the E-PL9. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-P74/5..4.5/5....4.5/5 Jun 2021 799 amazon.com
2.
 
Olympus E-PL9..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2018 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV4.5/5..5/581/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2020 699 amazon.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10....4/577/100..4/5 Oct 2019 599ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 III..+5/580/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2017 649ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL8........4.5/54/5 Sep 2016 549ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus PEN-F....4/582/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M104/5....80/1005/55/5 Jan 2014 699ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-P55/5+ +..78/1004.5/55/5 May 2013 999ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-P3..83/100..74/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2011 799ebay.com
12.
 
Olympus E-P1..+..66/1004/54.5/5 Jun 2009 799ebay.com
13.
 
Olympus E-P23/5+..69/1004/54.5/5 Nov 2009 799ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic GX94/5+4/584/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2018 849ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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.

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    Specifications: Olympus E-P7 vs Olympus E-PL9

    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 Olympus E-P7 Olympus E-PL9
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Micro Four Thirds lenses
    Launch Date June 2021 February 2018
    Launch Price USD 799 USD 599
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-P7 Olympus E-PL9
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor Four Thirds Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.4 x 13.0 mm 17.3 x 13.0 mm
    Sensor Area 226.2 mm2 224.9 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.7 mm 21.6 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 2.0x
    Sensor Resolution 20.2 Megapixels 15.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5184 x 3888 pixels 4608 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.34 μm 3.76 μm
    Pixel Density 8.91 MP/cm2 7.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 25,600 ISO 200 - 6,400 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor TruePic VIII TruePic VIII
    Screen Specs Olympus E-P7 Olympus E-PL9
    Viewfinder Type no viewfinder no viewfinder
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-P7 Olympus E-PL9
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Contrast-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 8.7 shutter flaps/s 8.6 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/16000sup to 1/16000s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-II UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-P7 Olympus E-PL9
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-P7 Olympus E-PL9
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-50 Olympus BLS-50
    Battery Life (CIPA)360 shots per charge350 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 118 x 69 x 38 mm
    (4.6 x 2.7 x 1.5 in)
    117 x 68 x 39 mm
    (4.6 x 2.7 x 1.5 in)
    Camera Weight 337 g (11.9 oz) 380 g (13.4 oz)
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