E-PM2 Upgrade

RobinsNest wrote:

Hello M4/3ers,

It's been a while since I was last haunting dpreview, but here we go again. I have been happily shooting an Olympus E-PM2 since December 2012. I bought into M4/3 with a GF1 and a Pan 20/1.7. Then added an E-PM1 and an Oly 45/1.8. Then moved to E-PM2 when it came out. There are a few unused kit zooms rattling around somewhere.

My E-PM2 and the 2 lenses easily fit in one tiny bag or even my purse. I love the small gear/big image combination... that is what got me into M4/3 in the first place. Unfortunately the cameras seem to be going in the opposite direction size wise.

Major trip is coming up (I'm a mom taking the 10-year-old twins to Yellowstone) and I'm at a loss. In digital camera time it seems like it should be time for an upgrade, but the new sensor has hardly made it into any of the new bodies? I have been looking at the GX85 but I went to Olympus for the nicer JPEGs. I have no time to deal with RAW.

Curious as to your recommendations. I have not kept up with all the buzz for the last few years. How has the Pan/Oly JPEG issue turned out? Is there enough development in the smaller size M4/3 bodies that I am missing out at this point? If there were an E-PM3 I would be all over it, but I guess I am in the minority on this one. And as a second choice, if the E-PL8 were out now I would have bought it already and not be asking you guys!

Thanks for any feedback you can offer.

The PM2 is still pretty close to state-of-the-art in the sensor department.
(that is among those available in u4/3)
Nothing since its release has done better in DXO low-light testing score, if that means anything.

Unless you want some of the newer features or more control points your Pen Mini should still provide results comparable to the latest bodies.

For camera JPGs Oly is still the boss.