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Overview of Olympus MFT Cameras

Olympus and Panasonic were the pioneers of mirrorless camera systems when they jointly designed the Micro Four Thirds standard. Since 2009, Olympus has launched more than 20 MFT camera models that address different photographic needs and markets. In parallel, a comprehensive lens catalog and a sizeable portfolio of accessories has emerged. So while the transition from Four Thirds to Micro Four Thirds was a difficult period for the company and the users of its products, Olympus MFT has over time developped into a solid photographic system with a variety of cameras, lenses, and accessories (see also the Olympus website for detailed information on current gear).

E-M1 II
Olympus OMD E-M1 II with 12-40mm

In particular, Olympus has developed and maintained four lines of cameras that differ across feature sets and target users:

  • OMD-line - DSLR style, integrated viewfinder;
  • PEN-line - Rangefinder style, enthusiast-oriented;
  • PL-line - Rangefinder style, no viewfinder;
  • PM-line - Rangefinder style, no viewfinder, very compact;
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The following tables list the different models in each line with some of their key characteristics. In order to see further specifications, just click on the camera name. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator app to compare two cameras side-by-side.

OMD-line

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Olympus OMD-line core specs
    Camera
Model
Resolution
(Megapixel)
Video
Format
Viewfinder
(Type or
'000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Shutter
flaps
(1/sec)
Weather
Sealing
(yes/no)
Camera
Launch
(announced)
Launch
Price
(USD)
Street
Price
(USD)
1.
 
Olympus E-M5 15.91080/60i1440 tilting 9.0 Y Feb 2012 1,299ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-M1 15.91080/30p2360 tilting 10.0 Y Sep 2013 1,399ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M10 15.91080/30p1440 tilting 8.0 n Jan 2014 699ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 II 15.91080/60p2360 swivel 10.0 Y Feb 2015 1,099ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 15.91080/60p2360 tilting 8.0 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-M1 II 20.24K/30p2360 swivel 18.0 Y Sep 2016 1,999ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M10 III 15.94K/30p2360 tilting 8.6 n Aug 2017 649ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-M1X 20.24K/30p2360 swivel 18.0 Y Jan 2019 2,999 amazon.com
9.
 
Olympus E-M5 III 20.24K/30p2360 swivel 10.0 Y Oct 2019 1,199 amazon.com
10.
 
Olympus E-M1 III 20.24K/30p2360 swivel 18.0 Y Feb 2020 1,799 amazon.com
11.
 
Olympus E-M10 IV 20.24K/30p2360 tilting 15.0 n Aug 2020 699 amazon.com
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PEN-line

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Olympus PEN-line core specs
    Camera
Model
Resolution
(Megapixel)
Video
Format
Viewfinder
(Type or
'000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Shutter
flaps
(1/sec)
Weather
Sealing
(yes/no)
Camera
Launch
(announced)
Launch
Price
(USD)
Street
Price
(USD)
1.
 
Olympus E-P1 12.2720/30pnone fixed 3.0 n Jun 2009 799ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-P2 12.2720/30poptional fixed 3.0 n Nov 2009 799ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-P3 12.21080/60ioptional fixed 3.0 n Jun 2011 799ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-P5 15.91080/30poptional tilting 9.0 n May 2013 999ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus PEN-F 20.21080/60p2360 swivel 10.0 n Jan 2016 1,199ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-P7 20.24K/30pnone tilting 8.7 n Jun 2021 799 amazon.com
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PL-line

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Olympus PL-line core specs
    Camera
Model
Resolution
(Megapixel)
Video
Format
Viewfinder
(Type or
'000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Shutter
flaps
(1/sec)
Weather
Sealing
(yes/no)
Camera
Launch
(announced)
Launch
Price
(USD)
Street
Price
(USD)
1.
 
Olympus E-PL1 12.2720/30poptional fixed 3.0 n Feb 2010 599ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-PL2 12.2720/30poptional fixed 3.0 n Jan 2011 599ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-PL3 12.21080/60ioptional tilting 5.5 n Jun 2011 599ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL5 15.91080/30poptional tilting 8.0 n Sep 2012 599ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-PL6 15.91080/30poptional tilting 8.0 n May 2013 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-PL7 15.91080/30poptional tilting 8.0 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-PL8 15.91080/30poptional tilting 8.0 n Sep 2016 549ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL9 15.94K/30pnone tilting 8.6 n Feb 2018 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL10 15.94K/30pnone tilting 8.6 n Oct 2019 599ebay.com
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PM-line

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Olympus PM-line core specs
    Camera
Model
Resolution
(Megapixel)
Video
Format
Viewfinder
(Type or
'000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Shutter
flaps
(1/sec)
Weather
Sealing
(yes/no)
Camera
Launch
(announced)
Launch
Price
(USD)
Street
Price
(USD)
1.
 
Olympus E-PM1 12.21080/60ioptional fixed 5.5 n Jun 2011 499ebay.com
2.
 
Olympus E-PM2 15.91080/30poptional fixed 8.0 n Sep 2012 499ebay.com
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Further Reading

You can explore a compendium of all Olympus MFT lenses on a separate page, and explanations of many four-thirds terms can be found in the MFT glossary. Also, if you would like to directly compare two cameras, just enter your choice of models in the search boxes below and you will be taken to a side-by-side analysis of their relative size and features.

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