Olympus PEN-F vs E-PL8 vs E-P5

Thomas Traub wrote:

rsmithgi wrote:

Thomas Traub wrote:

E-Px or E-PLx and Pen-F are two completely different categories. The first one are better compact-cameras (o.k., advanced compact cameras with changeable lenses), the pen-F can compete with 3.000€-Nikons or Canons and are an alternative to FF DSLRs.

Can you elaborate on why you feel the Pen F is in a different league?

Because the Pen-F can do everything (!) that a DSLR (for about 4.000€) can do, only in a smaller body. You have near everything in direct access, fast (only the ME-1 II is faster) .... I can work in the same (or a very very simmilar) way as i worked with my FF DSLR.

I don't know which 4000E DSLR you refer to, but the Pen-F cannot do everything (!!!!) that a DSLR can do.

For starter - it can't reasonably track moving subjects in AF even if its life depended on it. While I do understand the limitations of contrast based AF, I think Olympus needs to make a call. Either figure out how to do reasonable CAF with Contrast based AF, OR, add Phase detect sensors to its 1000+ cameras. Selling a camera for 1200$ that cannot do reasonable CAF in today's world is unacceptable in my eyes. Everybody else (Fuji, Sony, Panasonic) figured out better CAF.

Is that a reason not to buy the Pen-F? not nescessarily. Maybe this feature is not important to you - but saying it does "everything (!!!!!)" is ridiculous. It also doesn't do the same quality of images at ISO3200 and higher, by a considerable margin. It also has a small EVF, with annoying blackouts when shooting in fast speed shooting.

So - after relaxing the superlatives.... The Pen-F is a *very* capable camera, offering great capabilities and performance in a compact body, and has great features as long as you don't plan to shoot anything that is moving. It is priced at 1200$, which may be cheap compared to a FF camera but that's not an interesting comparison at all. It is DOUBLE the price of the Panasonic GX85, which is a similarly sized and specced camera. It loses some capabilities over the Pen-F (for instance high res, and not as good IBIS) but wins on others (improved video, 4K photo, etc.). Is it worth double than the GX85? In my eyes - from a pure capabilities point of view - no. If you factor in design - that's your call at this point.

More importantly, it costs roughly in the same ballpark as the Panasonic G85. The Panasonic G85 is superior to the Pen-F in most functionality and ergonomics aspects. Of course - if you want smaller, the Pen-F wins, but in any other comparison, the G85 offers much more of a "camera".

The E-P/L-concept is an "advanced-compact-camera-concept". Don't misunderstand me. These are great cameras but the approach is from a complete other side. You can do very much, but only when you jump down in the menues .. so you need time. That's not bad, that's only a different concept. It's easier. A good photographer will be able to do near the same pictures (beside the 16 MP instead of the 20 MP but that's only a small difference that most of us need only for pixel-peeping

You are mixing the EPL and EP. What you say about the EPL is true. But the EP is the same "line" as the Pen-F - only without the EVF.

For sure you can drive with a VW Polo from A to B but with a VW Passat you will be able to do it much more comfortable, safer, maybe faster .......

Yes, you are true. But unfortunately I would hardly classify the Pen-F as a VW Passat. the Pen-F is more of a VW Golf Cabriolet. It doesn't have the comfort, size or capabilities of the Passat. It is more like a Golf, but it has style