Although designed to catch the eye, the very stylish Olympus Pen E-PL7 is more than just a good looking camera. It is a pretty sophisticated device that offers point-and-shoot ease and art filters for the beginner but at the same time all the features and controls the more advanced enthusiast will need. The small body is compatible with the extensive range of Micro Four Thirds lenses that Olympus has created, but users can also choose from those made by Panasonic for its Lumix G models – and the independent releases from Sigma, Tamron and others.
Olympus’s E-PL cameras are often left in the shadow of their attention-grabbing siblings, the OM-Ds, but other than the viewfinder and different handling that sees the OM-D models equipped with more buttons and dials, there is less between them than most people imagine.
The Pen E-PL7 uses a 16-million-pixel sensor and borrows the 3-axis in-body image stabilization system of the OM-D E-M10. It has a 3" LCD rear touchscreen that flips out for low angled shooting, but also flips cleverly down below the body to face forwards so that selfie shooters can see themselves easily.
There is no built-in flash, but the camera comes with a small unit that fits in the camera’s hotshoe – and which can be replaced by a larger more powerful gun should you choose. Wi-Fi connectivity allows remote control from a smartphone and direct transfer of images.
Also consider...
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 is one of the smallest compact system cameras available, and surprisingly it is a good deal smaller than many non-interchangeable-lens compact cameras. Although small the camera is not just for beginners, as it features the same sensor and processor as the mid-range Lumix DMC-GX7, and a full complement of advanced shooting modes. A built-in EVF distinguishes it from the cheaper GM1.
