LarsPolarBear wrote:
Tom ,
thanks for posting these pictures. Nice shots!
I am currently considering the E-PL7 as my new camera, using it mostly for travel, wildlife and underwater photography. Since there don't seem to be too many people out there buying the E-PL7 (considering the stupid "selfie" marketing it is no wonder..), I am glad that I found one!
I like the E-PL7 due to its small size (comes with the small 14-42 power zoom here) and the fact that there is a dedicated Olympus underwater housing available (makes it a much cheaper affair).
However, if Olympus would have upgraded the E-P5 (not the E-PL5), I would most likely go for that one, due to more manual control dials (2 compared to 1). For the same reason I am considering the E-M10, but due to size and underwater casing, I prefer the E-PL7. This brings me to my question.
How is the overall shooting experience with the E-PL7? Do you like the operations, including button layout, operational speed , AF.
Lars, the AF seems fast to me. Here is an excerpt from a post I made right after I bought the camera; it will hopefully address your questions about its operations and handling.
(begin paste from prior thread)
As has been mentioned elsewhere, the E-PL7’s menu system is the same as the E-M1’s, so that makes going back and forth from the “big camera” to the E-PL7 very easy. Also, I found that for the type of shooting I typically do (landscapes, interior shots of historic houses and museums, and family shots), the camera’s buttons, SCP, control wheel and mode dial Mysets can be used to give me darn near the same ready access to commonly used parameters as the E-M1 does. There is no “menu diving” necessary. In all honesty, it seems as easy to use as the E-M1 (unless I am switching forth between bracketing and HDR, or something like that, which I in all honesty almost never do because I am just a hobbyist). I have it set up as follows:
-Super Control Panel (SCP) enabled
-Fn button set to AEL
-Magnify (zoom view) button defaulted to Magnify
-Mysets for my preferred aperture mode and shutter mode settings assigned to “A” and “S” mode dial positions (to force a “reset” each time I power the camera up or select the mode)
-Two remaining Mysets currently unassigned, but available if / when I determine a need for them
-Left arrow (of four way controller) causes the AF positioning screen to appear; the left/right/up/down arrows are then used to move the focus point to where I want it
-Record button re-defined as “return AF point to home position”
-Right arrow set to bring up ISO setting menu
-Up arrow brings up Exposure Compensation (in A or S mode): the control wheel is then used to set the EC to whatever I want
-Down arrow brings up the shutter selection menu (single, sequential, timer, anti-shock, etc.)
-Focus Peaking enabled in menus, so that peaking appears when the manual focus ring of a m4/3 lens is turned
Other random observations:
The Olympus 12-50 “fits” well on the E-PL7, and together they make a good-handling and visually appealing combo. The electronic zoom ring seems easier to use than my regular zooms as well (this may be due to the small size and lightness of the camera; there’s just not as much to hold on to while twisting a regular zoom ring around). Although the IQ of the 12-50 isn’t as good as that of the 12-40, the sample pics I’ve taken look pretty decent. I may end up actually using the 12-50 as an outdoor walk-around lens, for the first time since I got it as part of my E-M5 kit back in 2012.
The FL600R and FL300R flashes both work well on the E-PL7, although the smaller flash is more balanced from a size / balance perspective (no surprise, given the small size of the camera).
One of the most advertised features of the E-PL7 is its “Selfie” mode. I don’t give a rat’s patoot about that, but I did find that it is much easier to pull the articulated LCD out from the home position and move it to where I want it, than the LCD of the E-M1. This probably has something to do with the Selfie mode (the ability to quickly pull the LCD out and position it to take a photo), but that’s just an assumption.
The bottom line is that I REALLY like this camera, and am very glad I bought it!
(end of paste from previous thread)
Do you have a long lens (e.g. 75-300)? If so, how does it feel and work with the E-PL7?
I don't have a long lens; only the 14-140. No issues with it at all.
You seem to have the E-PL5, is there a big difference in IQ for you?
I don't have an E-PL5, I merely considered getting one. However, to answer your IQ question: go to DxOMark and compare the sensors of the E-PL7, E-M1, and E-M10. They are virtually the same, with the E-PL7 actually having a little better low light performance than the E-M1.
Would highly appreciate your input!
You got it; hope it is of some use to you!
Thanks,
Lars
