Olympus E-PL9 vs Nikon P900

The Olympus PEN E-PL9 and the Nikon Coolpix P900 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2018 and March 2015. The E-PL9 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the P900 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-PL9) and a 1/2.3-inch (P900) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 15.9 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Olympus E-PL9		Nikon P900
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Micro Four Thirds lenses		24-2000mm f/2.8-6.5
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor		15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (921k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
8.6 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens-based stabilization
350 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
117 x 68 x 39 mm, 380 g		140 x 103 x 137 mm, 899 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus PEN E-PL9 and the Nikon Coolpix P900? 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-PL9 and the Nikon P900. 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-PL9 can be obtained in four different colors (black, brown, blue, white), while the P900 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 Nikon P900 is considerably larger (81 percent) than the Olympus E-PL9. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-PL9 nor the P900 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the P900 has a lens built in, whereas the E-PL9 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the E-PL9 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the E-PL9 gets 350 shots out of its Olympus BLS-50 battery, while the P900 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL23 power pack. The power pack in the P900 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. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-PL9	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Feb 2018	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Nikon P900	140 mm	103 mm	137 mm	899 g	360	n	Mar 2015	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
4.		Nikon B700	125 mm	85 mm	107 mm	565 g	350	n	Feb 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	US$ 299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P950	140 mm	110 mm	150 mm	1005 g	290	n	Jan 2020	US$ 799	amazon.com
7.		Nikon P1000	146 mm	119 mm	181 mm	1415 g	250	n	Jul 2018	US$ 999	amazon.com
8.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-M10 III	122 mm	84 mm	50 mm	410 g	330	n	Aug 2017	US$ 649	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL3	110 mm	64 mm	37 mm	313 g	300	n	Jun 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL6	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	May 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-PL8	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Sep 2016	US$ 549	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-PL10	117 mm	68 mm	39 mm	380 g	350	n	Oct 2019	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-PM2	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	269 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.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. 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. 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 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-PL9 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Nikon P900 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the P900 is 88 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 5.6. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Even though the E-PL9 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 15.9 megapixels. This implies that the E-PL9 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 1.33μm for the P900), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the E-PL9 is much more recent (by 2 years and 11 months) than the P900, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the P900 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Olympus PEN E-PL9 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Coolpix P900 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

In terms of underlying technology, the E-PL9 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the P900 uses a BSI-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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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-PL9	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1162	74
2.		Nikon P900	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	727	47
3.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
4.		Nikon B700	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.4	11.8	818	48
5.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
6.		Nikon P950	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.7	12.3	1189	52
7.		Nikon P1000	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1044	51
8.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
9.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
10.		Olympus E-M10 III	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1120	74
11.		Olympus E-PL3	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	1080/60i	20.9	10.3	499	52
12.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
13.		Olympus E-PL6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.5	12.0	717	68
14.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873	72
15.		Olympus E-PL8	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.6	1030	73
16.		Olympus E-PL10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
17.		Olympus E-PM2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.2	932	72
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the E-PL9 provides a higher video resolution than the P900. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the P900 has an electronic viewfinder (921k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL9 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Olympus E-PL9, the Nikon P900, and comparable cameras.

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-PL9	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
2.		Nikon P900	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
4.		Nikon B700	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon P950	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon P1000	2359	n	3.2 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Olympus E-M10 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus E-PL3	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	Y
12.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
13.		Olympus E-PL6	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
14.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
15.		Olympus E-PL8	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
16.		Olympus E-PL10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.6/s	Y	Y
17.		Olympus E-PM2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	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-PL9 has a touchscreen, while the P900 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-PL9 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-PL9 and the Nikon P900 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-PL9 and the P900 write their files to SDXC cards. The E-PL9 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the P900 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-PL9 and Nikon Coolpix P900 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-PL9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon P900	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Nikon B700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Nikon P950	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon P1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Olympus E-M10 III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus E-PL3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-PL6	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Olympus E-PL8	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Olympus E-PL10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Olympus E-PM2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the E-PL9 has a hotshoe, while the P900 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the P900 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the E-PL9 and the P900 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The P900 was replaced by the Nikon P950, while the E-PL9 was followed by the Olympus E-PL10. Further information on the features and operation of the E-PL9 and P900 can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-PL9 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon P900 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-PL9 and the Nikon P900? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus PEN E-PL9:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging 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.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 921k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8.6 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (117x68mm vs 140x103mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• 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 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the P900 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix P900:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the E-PL9 necessitates an extra lens.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in March 2015).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the E-PL9 is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 8 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-PL9 and the Nikon P900 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings 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-PL9 or the P900. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Olympus E-PL9	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2018	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Nikon P900	..	..	..	77/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2015	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
4.		Nikon B700	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon P950	..	..	3/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2020	US$ 799	amazon.com
7.		Nikon P1000	..	+	3.5/5	73/100	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2018	US$ 999	amazon.com
8.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-M10 III	..	+	5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 649	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-PL3	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-PL6	..	..	..	..	..	..	May 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-PL8	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 549	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-PL10	..	..	4/5	77/100	..	4/5	Oct 2019	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-PM2	3/5	..	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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