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

jwilliams wrote:

007peter wrote: I'm probably the only the DPR members here with an actual hands-on experience on E-PL8, and let me tell you, this camera has the same Solid-As-The-Rock feel as PEN-F.

.......They have the most Solid-As-The-Rock feel compare to the rest. Even though one is a $1100 camera vs a $550 camera, both share the same METAL TOP (instead of a painted white plastic on older e-PL7). In fact, they're very close in SIZE as well. If you closed your eyes, E-PL8 feel like a mini-Pen-F in person. I'm a Panasonic guy but even I have to concede that Olympus today just make better camera (build wise) than Panasonic. What I'm trying to say is don't dismissed E-PL8 unless you have an actual handson experience on it.

I just got an EPL7. Found a great deal on a new one and had to try it. One thing that bothers me is it doesn't really feel comfortable in the hand.

That is because Pen Lite EPL5/6/7/8 have very SHORT HEIGHT.

• 67mm height for E-PL8 and e-PL7
• 63.7mm height for E-PL6/E-PL5

But I think this is a Age/Generation thing. Older people like to GRIP their entire hand over camera, as such, they're better off buying a Camera with OVF/EVF, since viewfinder adds height and taller camera have better Hand-Holdability. You might be better off buying one of these:

• 91mm height Canon SL1
• 97mm height Nikon D5500
• 86mm height Panasonic G7 with EVF

The camera is kind of heavy for its size and not being very tall it wants to rotate in your hand. Now if the the EPL8 is sturdier and has metal top I'm guessing it is even heavier. The front grip looks even worse than the EPL7. To me these things would seem to add to the problem already present inthe EPL7. How is the handling?

Believe it or not, painted plastic E-PL7 and metal e-PL8 actually share the same height & weight. I just prefer the much stronger Metal Build of E-PL8 over E-PL7 in my hands. Keep in mind that I owned a Metal Build GF6, which is also much heavier than better build than the newer but inferior GF7/GF8. So I have a really strong preference for

• Small Heavy Metal camera over
• Bigger but Lighter Plastic camera body

For example, I very disappointed by the increasingly plastic build of Panasonic camera Panasonic GF7/GF8/GM1/GM5/G7 are a step backward from the Strong Metal build of Panasonic GF1/GF2/Gx1/Gx7/GF6 that are heavy but build like a tank.  For example, I accidentally drooped my Panasonic GF2 onto the table, and it managed to tinted the wood table but the body suffer no tint @all.  I hold onto my camera body for 4-7 years, so I much prefer a STRONGER body over lighter weight.

I have been surprised how my GM1 handles so much better and is more comfortable to hold than the EPL7. Despite lack of any grip the camera is light enough and the surfaces are grippy enough that you just sort of hold it by pinching the body between your thumb and other fingers. Sounds uncomfortable but it isn't.

If you like GM1 (w/zero grip) then you may actually like E-PL8 over E-PL7 too.  I prefer the E-PL8, the camera just feel and grip better in my hand.  But "Grip" is very personal, and many DPR members complain about the lack of grip on GM1 and find it necessary to buy an ugly 3rd party after-market grip.