Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic S9
The Olympus PEN E-P1 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in June 2009 and May 2024. Both the E-P1 and the S9 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (E-P1) and a full frame (S9) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 24 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Check E-P1 offers at
ebay.com

Check S9 price at
amazon.com
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus PEN E-P1 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9? 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 physical size and weight of the Olympus E-P1 and the Panasonic S9 are illustrated 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The E-P1 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, white), while the S9 is available in four color-versions (black, blue, red, green).



If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic S9 is notably larger (10 percent) than the Olympus E-P1. Moreover, the S9 is substantially heavier (37 percent) than the E-P1. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the E-P1 nor the S9 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.
Concerning battery life, the E-P1 gets 300 shots out of its Olympus BLS-1 battery, while the S9 can take 470 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLK22 power pack. The power pack in the S9 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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 |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-P1 | 121 mm | 70 mm | 36 mm | 355 g | 300 | n | Jun 2009 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Panasonic S9 | 126 mm | 74 mm | 47 mm | 486 g | 470 | n | May 2024 | US$ 1 499 | amazon.com | |
| 3. | Canon R8 | 133 mm | 86 mm | 70 mm | 461 g | 220 | n | Feb 2023 | US$ 1 499 | amazon.com | |
| 4. | Fujifilm X-S20 | 128 mm | 85 mm | 65 mm | 491 g | 750 | n | May 2023 | US$ 1 299 | amazon.com | |
| 5. | Olympus E-520 | 136 mm | 92 mm | 68 mm | 535 g | 750 | n | May 2008 | US$ 699 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Olympus E-620 | 130 mm | 94 mm | 60 mm | 521 g | 500 | n | Feb 2009 | US$ 699 | 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-PL1 | 115 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 334 g | 290 | n | Feb 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PL2 | 114 mm | 72 mm | 42 mm | 362 g | 280 | n | Jan 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PL3 | 110 mm | 64 mm | 37 mm | 313 g | 300 | n | Jun 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Panasonic G10 | 124 mm | 84 mm | 74 mm | 388 g | 380 | n | Mar 2010 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF1 | 119 mm | 71 mm | 36 mm | 385 g | 380 | n | Sep 2009 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
| 14. | Panasonic GH1 | 124 mm | 90 mm | 45 mm | 385 g | 300 | n | Mar 2009 | US$ 899 | ebay.com | |
| 15. | Panasonic GX9 | 124 mm | 72 mm | 47 mm | 407 g | 260 | n | Feb 2018 | US$ 849 | ebay.com | |
| 16. | Panasonic S1 II | 134 mm | 102 mm | 92 mm | 800 g | 350 | Y | May 2025 | US$ 3 199 | amazon.com | |
| 17. | Panasonic S5 II | 134 mm | 102 mm | 90 mm | 740 g | 370 | Y | Jan 2023 | US$ 1 999 | 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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The E-P1 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 47 percent) than the S9, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.
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 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. 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 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-P1 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Panasonic S9 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the S9 is 276 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the E-P1 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the S9 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 24MP, the S9 offers a higher resolution than the E-P1 (12.2MP), but the S9 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 4.29μm for the E-P1) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the S9 is a much more recent model (by 14 years and 11 months) than the E-P1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the S9 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Panasonic S9 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S9 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-P1 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 S9 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
The Olympus PEN E-P1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.
In terms of underlying technology, the E-P1 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the S9 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 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.

| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Olympus E-P1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.4 | 536 | 55 | |
| 2. | Panasonic S9 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 6K/30p | 25.4 | 14.8 | 3297 | 96 | |
| 3. | Canon R8 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4k/60p | 24.5 | 14.7 | 3295 | 93 | |
| 4. | Fujifilm X-S20 | APS-C | 26.0 | 6240 | 4160 | 4K/60p | 24.3 | 14.0 | 2315 | 86 | |
| 5. | Olympus E-520 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.4 | 10.4 | 548 | 55 | |
| 6. | Olympus E-620 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | none | 21.3 | 10.3 | 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-PL1 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.5 | 10.1 | 487 | 54 | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PL2 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 720/30p | 21.4 | 10.2 | 573 | 55 | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PL3 | Four Thirds | 12.2 | 4032 | 3024 | 1080/60i | 20.9 | 10.3 | 499 | 52 | |
| 12. | Panasonic G10 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 720/30p | 21.2 | 10.1 | 411 | 52 | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF1 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 720/30p | 21.2 | 10.3 | 513 | 54 | |
| 14. | Panasonic GH1 | Four Thirds | 12.0 | 4000 | 3000 | 1080/24p | 21.6 | 11.6 | 772 | 64 | |
| 15. | Panasonic GX9 | Four Thirds | 20.2 | 5184 | 3888 | 4K/30p | 23.1 | 12.8 | 1163 | 74 | |
| 16. | Panasonic S1 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 6K/30p | 25.4 | 14.8 | 3406 | 97 | |
| 17. | Panasonic S5 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 6K/30p | 25.4 | 14.6 | 3158 | 96 | |
| 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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the S9 provides a better video resolution than the E-P1. It can shoot movie footage at 6K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 720/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The E-P1 and the S9 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Olympus E-P1 and Panasonic S9 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

| 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-P1 | none | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | n | Y | |
| 2. | Panasonic S9 | none | n | 3.0 / 1840 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 30.0/s | n | Y | |
| 3. | Canon R8 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1620 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | n | n | |
| 4. | Fujifilm X-S20 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1840 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 8.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 5. | Olympus E-520 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | Y | |
| 6. | Olympus E-620 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | 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-PL1 | optional | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/2000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PL2 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PL3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | tilting | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | n | Y | |
| 12. | Panasonic G10 | 202 | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.6/s | Y | n | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF1 | optional | n | 3.0 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 14. | Panasonic GH1 | 1440 | n | 3.0 / 460 | swivel | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 15. | Panasonic GX9 | 2760 | n | 3.0 / 1240 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0/s | Y | Y | |
| 16. | Panasonic S1 II | 5760 | n | 3.2 / 1840 | full-flex | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 17. | Panasonic S5 II | 3680 | n | 3.0 / 1840 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 9.0/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 S9 has a touchscreen, while the E-P1 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.
The S9 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-P1 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 S9 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 Panasonic S9 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-P1 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the S9 uses SDXC cards. The S9 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the E-P1 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-P1 and Panasonic Lumix DC-S9 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-P1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 2. | Panasonic S9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
| 3. | Canon R8 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
| 4. | Fujifilm X-S20 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
| 5. | Olympus E-520 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 6. | Olympus E-620 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 7. | Olympus E-P2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 8. | Olympus E-P3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 9. | Olympus E-PL1 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PL2 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PL3 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 12. | Panasonic G10 | Y | mono / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF1 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 14. | Panasonic GH1 | Y | stereo / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 15. | Panasonic GX9 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
| 16. | Panasonic S1 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
| 17. | Panasonic S5 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y |
It is notable that the S9 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the E-P1 does not provide wifi capability.
The S9 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the E-P1 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-P1 was succeeded by the Olympus E-P2. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Olympus and Panasonic websites.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Olympus E-P1 or the Panasonic S9 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Olympus PEN E-P1:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 131g or 27 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (47 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2009).

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-S9:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 43%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced 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 (6K/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.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 230k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or 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 shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (30 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: Gets more shots (470 versus 300) out of a single battery charge.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-II standard.
- More modern: Reflects 14 years and 11 months of technical progress since the E-P1 launch.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the S9 is the clear winner of the contest (24 : 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 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-P1 and the Panasonic S9 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the E-P1 and the S9 in practical situations. 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-P1 | .. | + | .. | 66/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2009 | US$ 799 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Panasonic S9 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | May 2024 | US$ 1 499 | amazon.com | |
| 3. | Canon R8 | 4.5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 87/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2023 | US$ 1 499 | amazon.com | |
| 4. | Fujifilm X-S20 | 5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 86/100 | .. | 4.5/5 | May 2023 | US$ 1 299 | amazon.com | |
| 5. | Olympus E-520 | .. | 87/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | May 2008 | US$ 699 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Olympus E-620 | 3/5 | 88/100 | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2009 | US$ 699 | 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-PL1 | .. | 86/100 | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Olympus E-PL2 | 3/5 | 83/100 | .. | 71/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Olympus E-PL3 | 3/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2011 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Panasonic G10 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 70/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2010 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
| 13. | Panasonic GF1 | .. | 85/100 | .. | 69/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2009 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
| 14. | Panasonic GH1 | .. | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2009 | US$ 899 | ebay.com | |
| 15. | Panasonic GX9 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2018 | US$ 849 | ebay.com | |
| 16. | Panasonic S1 II | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | May 2025 | US$ 3 199 | amazon.com | |
| 17. | Panasonic S5 II | 4.5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2023 | US$ 1 999 | amazon.com | |
| Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. | |||||||||||
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check E-P1 offers at
ebay.com

Check S9 price at
amazon.com
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 make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
- Canon 550D vs Olympus E-P1
- Canon 6D Mark II vs Panasonic S9
- Canon M6 vs Olympus E-P1
- Canon R6 vs Olympus E-P1
- Canon SX70 vs Olympus E-P1
- Nikon P1100 vs Panasonic S9
- Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic S9
- Olympus E-M10 III vs Olympus E-P1
- Olympus E-P1 vs Sigma fp
- Panasonic G9 II vs Panasonic S9
- Panasonic S5 II vs Panasonic S9
- Panasonic S9 vs Sony A6300
Specifications: Olympus E-P1 vs Panasonic S9
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-P1 | Panasonic S9 |
|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Mirrorless system camera |
| Camera Lens | Micro Four Thirds lenses | Leica L mount lenses |
| Launch Date | June 2009 | May 2024 |
| Launch Price | USD 799 | USD 1,499 |
| Sensor Specs | Olympus E-P1 | Panasonic S9 |
| Sensor Technology | CMOS | BSI-CMOS |
| Sensor Format | Four Thirds Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
| Sensor Size | 17.3 x 13.0 mm | 35.6 x 23.8 mm |
| Sensor Area | 224.9 mm2 | 847.28 mm2 |
| Sensor Diagonal | 21.6 mm | 42.8 mm |
| Crop Factor | 2.0x | 1.0x |
| Sensor Resolution | 12.2 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
| Image Resolution | 4032 x 3024 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
| Pixel Pitch | 4.29 μm | 5.94 μm |
| Pixel Density | 5.42 MP/cm2 | 2.83 MP/cm2 |
| Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
| Movie Capability | 720/30p Video | 6K/30p Video |
| ISO Setting | 100 - 6,400 ISO | 100 - 51,200 ISO |
| ISO Boost | no Enhancement | 50 - 204,800 ISO |
| Image Processor | TruePic V | Venus |
| DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 55 | .. |
| DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.4 | .. |
| DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.4 | .. |
| DXO Low Light (ISO) | 536 | .. |
| Screen Specs | Olympus E-P1 | Panasonic S9 |
| Viewfinder Type | no viewfinder | no viewfinder |
| LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
| Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
| LCD Resolution | 230k dots | 1840k dots |
| LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Swivel screen |
| Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
| Shooting Specs | Olympus E-P1 | Panasonic S9 |
| Focus System | Contrast-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
| Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
| Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/8000s |
| Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | 30 shutter flaps/s |
| Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | up to 1/8000s |
| Time-Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | Intervalometer built-in |
| Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | In-body stabilization |
| Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | no On-Board Flash |
| Storage Medium | SDHC cards | SDXC cards |
| Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
| UHS card support | no | UHS-II |
| Connectivity Specs | Olympus E-P1 | Panasonic S9 |
| External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
| USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 3.2 |
| HDMI Port | mini HDMI | micro HDMI |
| Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
| Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
| Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
| Body Specs | Olympus E-P1 | Panasonic S9 |
| Battery Type | Olympus BLS-1 | Panasonic DMW-BLK22 |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 300 shots per charge | 470 shots per charge |
| In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
| Body Dimensions |
121 x 70 x 36 mm (4.8 x 2.8 x 1.4 in) |
126 x 74 x 47 mm (5.0 x 2.9 x 1.9 in) |
| Camera Weight | 355 g (12.5 oz) | 486 g (17.1 oz) |

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