This from their announcement: "The E-PL7’s built-in flash helps users take beautiful selfies against nighttime backgrounds".
You are right, thats the one I meant, its not a thumb dial.
The advertising really is peculiar for this camera, on so many levels...
I know I keep going on about it, but this seems to be a specific decision for the US market, since elsewhere it is being offered with the EZ zoom (or a choice of kits with either lens). Similarly, the white one isn't being offered in the US (not that this is a huge loss, I wouldn't think - except perhaps for the young, self-obsessed female audience the UK campaign seems to be specifically targeting, for some reason). The odd decisions on marketing for the US seem to be widespread amongst manufacturers for mirrorless though (Panasonic leaving out the likely most popular finishes, at least initially, Canon's self-defeating non-marketing of the EOS M and so on), so Olympus are not the only offenders. It's almost as though manufacturers say to themselves "mirrorless won't succeed in the US and to prove it we'll do everything we can to decrease sales". That always felt true to me of Canon's approach in particular.
It is quite interesting how this has happened, yes. I always thought the E-PL7 looked like it would be a fairly gentle upgrade of the E-PL5 from those leaked instruction manuals (though including most of the E-M10 improvements is helpful), but it does seem to fit into a rather shrinking niche in the lineup. Perhaps the E-PM line would have had a better shot at grabbing more sales if it was evolved and continued, but I suppose they base their decisions on sales figures. Hopefully.
Yes, looking from the angle of the EPL5, this is actually a great improvement. Better build, much better IBIS, much better screen, better controls, 0-second antishutter, better software...The problem is most people will say the OMD-EM10 obscures it (and they'd be right, the EM5 did the same thing to the EP5), and Oly's silly marketing will do nothing to improve that... They could have done something actually different... How about a flip-out screen? (yes, that actually makes my G3 a magnificent selfie camera, since my girlfriend is very fond of taking selfies with me, we've gotten scores of nice pictures... much better than this Oly's implementation). Or how about on-sensor PDAF to compete with Nikon's 1 J cameras?
All very true, by fixing earlier flaws like the 16:9 screen that resulted in a 2.3" usable size in native 4:3's, along with the SS fix, and then bringing over the E-M10's 3-axis IBIS and software, this is the best PEN E-PM/PL yet.
I think it was more a matter of consumer's picking up on Olympus' $ gouging by making them pay a $200-250 premium for an EVF that's built into OM-D's, then having to remember to bring (and potentially lose) it and/or the flash, all the while not being able to use them simultaneously. Let's give the consumer credit, they notice these things.
Actually, Olympus' hapless marketing may be the E-PL7's saving grace; going by past examples, ads are unlikely to be seen by the general public ;-) .
Requires a hinge that adds width and likely complexity/cost is my guess.
Got me there.
I simply don't think there's a market for a mirrorless camera kit selling for $700 that doesn't have a built-in EVF and flash in the year 2014. Too many excellent options, the a6000 being the current leader in this price range. Panasonic seems to get it with their upcoming GM5, we'll see.
The may not be mutually exclusive, but the overlap is small.
so, the people whom take selfies are fatter? I resemble that remarkThe may not be mutually exclusive, but the overlap is small.
--
Jim Salvas
"You miss 100% of the shots you never take." - Wayne Gretzky
if they "got it" a VF would have been in body years ago
Not fatter. More inflated.so, the people whom take selfies are fatter? I resemble that remarkThe may not be mutually exclusive, but the overlap is small.
--
Jim Salvas
"You miss 100% of the shots you never take." - Wayne Gretzky
Frankly, I think it's probably more of a generational thing. Regardless, like the previous addition of touchscreen focus and HD video, I welcome these improvements.
