E-P3 is a good upgrade from an E-PL1

Helen wrote:

David wrote:

The Olympus E-PL1 was my first introduction to the m43 system. I bought the kit cheap, albeit on clearance and I thought I couldn't do no wrong. I loved that camera and used it for a few years before I traded it for an Olympus E-5 which I still shoot today and has the same color rendition of the E-PL1.

I got the E-P5 kit 2 years ago when they were also having a clearance discount sale at one of my camera stores who was dumping Olympus from its camera line. So I bought it. The E-P5 is definitely the best 16MP camera I have owned thus far. It's 5 axis IBIS and low light performance is very good, with only the OMD E-M1 Mark II that can beat it. If I am to get another rangefinder type camera, I wouldn't get the PEN-F. It would be the Panasonic GX-8 used with its tilting EVF. I use the tilting EVF of the E-P5 (the VF-4) quite a lot of landscape stuff.

Enjoy your E-P3!

To be fair, the 5-axis IBIS of the OM-D E-M5 Mark II can also beat that of the E-P5 (it is definitely more advanced) - and for that matter, so can the Pen-F, which has the same system as the E-M5 Mark II. Both cameras also benefit from a far softer-action shutter mechanism than their predecessors, which is also useful.

The GX8 is also a lovely camera with an absolutely great viewfinder, though I personally (and I do have one) do have some issues with the fact that the shutter action is incredibly loud and sharp, which can interact with some vulnerable lenses, and its IBIS is not as effective as that in the 5-axis Olympuses - though advanced for its type, it is mechanically more like the earlier Olympus 2-axis system - i.e. not a "floating" type - that has entered the Panasonic system with the GX80/85 and G80/85

I think with astrophotography and low light action photography, where sometimes higher shutter speeds are more desirable, good high ISO performance is probably more useful than with IBIS.

I own a number of Panasonic zooms and primes which DUAL I.S and DFD AF would benefit me more with the GX-8 than an Olympus body.  For bang of the buck, the GX-8 seemed to offer a lot more features, at least to me, than the E-M5 Mark II or the E-M1 Mark II.  Ah yeah, the GX-8 shutter is a little bit obnoxious and has a few flaws and that's good.  It keeps the used prices down a bit more so I can afford one..