Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony A6400
The Olympus PEN E-PL2 and the Sony Alpha A6400 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2011 and January 2019. Both the E-PL2 and the A6400 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-PL2) and an APS-C (A6400) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 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 PEN E-PL2 and the Sony Alpha A6400? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-PL2 and the Sony A6400. 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.
The E-PL2 can be obtained in four different colors (black, silver, red, white), while the A6400 is only available in black.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A6400 is somewhat smaller (2 percent) than the Olympus E-PL2. However, the A6400 is markedly heavier (11 percent) than the E-PL2. It is noteworthy in this context that the A6400 is splash and dust-proof, while the E-PL2 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 Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-PL2) and the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog (A6400). 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-PL2 gets 280 shots out of its Olympus BLS-5 battery, while the A6400 can take 410 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A6400 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-PL2 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 362 g | 280 | n | Jan 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A6400 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 50 mm | 403 g | 410 | Y | Jan 2019 | 899 | amazon.com | |
3. | Nikon D5300 | 125 mm | 98 mm | 76 mm | 480 g | 600 | n | Oct 2013 | 799 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-PL5 | 111 mm | 64 mm | 38 mm | 325 g | 360 | n | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus XZ-2 | 113 mm | 65 mm | 48 mm | 346 g | 340 | n | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-P3 | 122 mm | 69 mm | 34 mm | 369 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | 799 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-PL3 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 37 mm | 313 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-PM1 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 34 mm | 265 g | 330 | n | Jun 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-PL1 | 115 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 334 g | 290 | n | Feb 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-P1 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Jun 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-P2 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Nov 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic G10 | 124 mm | 84 mm | 74 mm | 388 g | 380 | n | Mar 2010 | 499 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic GF2 | 113 mm | 68 mm | 33 mm | 310 g | 300 | n | Nov 2010 | 549 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A6100 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 59 mm | 396 g | 420 | n | Aug 2019 | 749 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A6300 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 49 mm | 404 g | 400 | Y | Feb 2016 | 999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A5100 | 110 mm | 63 mm | 36 mm | 283 g | 400 | n | Aug 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A6000 | 120 mm | 67 mm | 45 mm | 344 g | 360 | n | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.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-PL2 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the A6400, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. 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 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-PL2 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Sony A6400 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the A6400 is 63 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the E-PL2 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the A6400 offers a 3:2 aspect.
With 24MP, the A6400 offers a higher resolution than the E-PL2 (12.2MP), but the A6400 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.29μm for the E-PL2). Yet, the A6400 is a much more recent model (by 8 years) than the E-PL2, 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 Sony A6400 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A6400 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-PL2 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 A6400 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Olympus PEN E-PL2 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A6400 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-102400.
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.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A6400 offers substantially better image quality than the E-PL2 (overall score 28 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.6 bits higher color depth, 3.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-PL2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.2 | 573 | 55 | |
2. | Sony A6400 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.0 | 13.6 | 1431 | 83 | |
3. | Nikon D5300 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.0 | 13.9 | 1338 | 83 | |
4. | Olympus E-PL5 | Four Thirds | 15.9 | 4608 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 12.3 | 889 | 72 | |
5. | Olympus XZ-2 | 1/1.7 | 11.8 | 3968 | 2976 | 1080/30p | 20.4 | 11.3 | 216 | 49 | |
6. | Olympus E-P3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.8 | 10.1 | 536 | 51 | |
7. | Olympus E-PL3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.9 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
8. | Olympus E-PM1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 21.0 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
9. | Olympus E-PL1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.1 | 487 | 54 | |
10. | Olympus E-P1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.4 | 536 | 55 | |
11. | Olympus E-P2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.4 | 505 | 56 | |
12. | Panasonic G10 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 720/30p | 21.2 | 10.1 | 411 | 52 | |
13. | Panasonic GF2 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/60i | 21.2 | 10.3 | 506 | 54 | |
14. | Sony A6100 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.1 | 13.6 | 1947 | 84 | |
15. | Sony A6300 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.4 | 13.7 | 1437 | 85 | |
16. | Sony A5100 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.8 | 12.7 | 1347 | 80 | |
17. | Sony A6000 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.1 | 13.1 | 1347 | 82 | |
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 A6400 provides a better video resolution than the E-PL2. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus 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 A6400 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL2 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PL2 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-2. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-PL2 and Sony A6400 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-PL2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
2. | Sony A6400 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
3. | Nikon D5300 | optical | n | 3.2 / 1037 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
4. | Olympus E-PL5 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | n | Y | |
5. | Olympus XZ-2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 920 | tilting | Y | 1/2000s | 5.0/s | Y | Y | |
6. | Olympus E-P3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 614 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
7. | Olympus E-PL3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
8. | Olympus E-PM1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
9. | Olympus E-PL1 | optional | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
10. | Olympus E-P1 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
11. | Olympus E-P2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
12. | Panasonic G10 | 202 | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.6/s | Y | n | |
13. | Panasonic GF2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 2.6/s | Y | n | |
14. | Sony A6100 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
15. | Sony A6300 | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
16. | Sony A5100 | none | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
17. | Sony A6000 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 11.0/s | Y | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that differentiates the E-PL2 and the A6400 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The E-PL2 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the A6400 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.
The A6400 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the E-PL2 does not have a selfie-screen.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 A6400 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 E-PL2 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the A6400 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A6400 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the E-PL2 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 PEN E-PL2 and Sony Alpha A6400 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-PL2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Sony A6400 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
3. | Nikon D5300 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
4. | Olympus E-PL5 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Olympus XZ-2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Olympus E-P3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Olympus E-PL3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Olympus E-PM1 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Olympus E-PL1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-P1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-P2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Panasonic G10 | Y | mono / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Panasonic GF2 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
14. | Sony A6100 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A6300 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony A5100 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony A6000 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - |
It is notable that the A6400 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-PL2 does not provide wifi capability.
The A6400 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the E-PL2 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-PL2 was succeeded by the Olympus E-PL3. Further information on the features and operation of the E-PL2 and A6400 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-PL2 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A6400 Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-PL2 and the Sony A6400? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Reasons to prefer the Olympus PEN E-PL2:
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 41g or 10 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2011).
Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A6400:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 43%.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (28 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.6 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (3.4 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.3 stops ISO advantage).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 720/30p).
- 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.
- Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 460k 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.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (410 versus 280) out of a single battery charge.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
- 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.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
- More modern: Reflects 8 years of technical progress since the E-PL2 launch.
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A6400 is the clear winner of the contest (23 : 4 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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-PL2 and the Sony A6400 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the E-PL2 or the A6400 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.
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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Olympus E-PL2 | 3/5 | 83/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Sony A6400 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 85/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jan 2019 | 899 | amazon.com | |
3. | Nikon D5300 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2013 | 799 | ebay.com | |
4. | Olympus E-PL5 | 3/5 | + + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
5. | Olympus XZ-2 | 4/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 599 | ebay.com | |
6. | Olympus E-P3 | .. | 83/100 | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | 799 | ebay.com | |
7. | Olympus E-PL3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Olympus E-PM1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2011 | 499 | ebay.com | |
9. | Olympus E-PL1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2010 | 599 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-P1 | .. | + | .. | 66/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-P2 | 3/5 | + | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
12. | Panasonic G10 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 70/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2010 | 499 | ebay.com | |
13. | Panasonic GF2 | 3/5 | 82/100 | .. | 70/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Nov 2010 | 549 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A6100 | .. | .. | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2019 | 749 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A6300 | 4.5/5 | + | .. | 85/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2016 | 999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A5100 | 4.5/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2014 | 549 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A6000 | 5/5 | + | 4.5/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2014 | 599 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon R vs Olympus E-PL2
- Canon T3i vs Olympus E-PL2
- Leica C-LUX vs Sony A6400
- Leica CL vs Sony A6400
- Leica D-LUX 7 vs Sony A6400
- Leica Digilux 3 vs Olympus E-PL2
- Nikon D6 vs Sony A6400
- Olympus E-P1 vs Sony A6400
- Olympus E-PL2 vs Ricoh GR II
- Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony RX100 VII
- Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony RX1R
- Pentax K-S1 vs Sony A6400
Specifications: Olympus E-PL2 vs Sony A6400
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-PL2 | Sony A6400 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Micro Four Thirds lenses | Sony E mount lenses |
Launch Date | January 2011 | January 2019 |
Launch Price | USD 599 | USD 899 |
Sensor Specs | Olympus E-PL2 | Sony A6400 |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 23.5 x 15.6 mm |
Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 366.6 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 28.2 mm |
Crop Factor | 2.0x | 1.5x |
Sensor Resolution | 12.2 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 4032 x 3024 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 4.29 μm | 3.91 μm |
Pixel Density | 5.42 MP/cm2 | 6.55 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 720/30p Video | 4K/30p Video |
ISO Setting | 200 - 6,400 ISO | 100 - 32,000 ISO |
ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 100 - 102,400 ISO |
Image Processor | Truepic V | BIONZ X |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 55 | 83 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.4 | 24 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.2 | 13.6 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 573 | 1431 |
Screen Specs | Olympus E-PL2 | Sony A6400 |
Viewfinder Type | Viewfinder optional | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.70x | |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2359k dots | |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 460k dots | 922k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Olympus E-PL2 | Sony A6400 |
Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | 11 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | YES |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | Lens stabilization only |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | SDHC cards | MS or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
UHS card support | no | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-PL2 | Sony A6400 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
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 |
Near-Field Communication | no NFC | NFC built-in |
Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
Body Specs | Olympus E-PL2 | Sony A6400 |
Environmental Sealing | not weather sealed | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Olympus BLS-5 | Sony NP-FW50 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 280 shots per charge | 410 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
114 x 72 x 42 mm (4.5 x 2.8 x 1.7 in) |
120 x 67 x 50 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 2.0 in) |
Camera Weight | 362 g (12.8 oz) | 403 g (14.2 oz) |
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