E-PL6 vs E-P5

So I was about to order the E-PL6 kit (14-42 IIR) when I stumbled across a retailer selling the E-P5 body for the same price ($399 CAD which is about ~$300 USD).

I couldn't resist and pulled the trigger on the E-P5 body but now I'm realizing the kit lens would cost me another $250 CAD. I think it's still a really good price for the E-P5 but I'm wondering whether it's really worth it to me.

I suspect the E-PL6 would be sufficient for my needs. Mainly I want something that can take good pictures of my 20 month old son. Right now we mostly shoot with cell phones, but have tried with point and shoot (Panasonic TZ4) and the result isn't much better. I think the main challenge is speed, both in terms of shutter release and shutter speed, since it's mainly indoor.

In ideal situations, the E-PL6 and E-P5 should perform about the same, but I expect in less than ideal, the E-P5 should have an edge. It sounds like the 5-axis IS is better for video as well, which is a bit more of a secondary concern, however definitely nice to have.

I am taking a bit of a size/weight hit by going with the E-P5 but I think part of this is due to better build quality and I think it still is reasonably compact.

I assume trading the 14-42 IIR in exchange to moving up to the E-P5 should be worth it? On a side note, I'm considering picking up a used 12-50 EZ lens as this seems to be a more versatile lens than the 14-42 IIR.

I know what I really need is a fast prime, but I think the zoom will give me flexibility and let me figure out what focal length will work best for me (the ones I am considering are the 17mm 1.8, 20mm 1.7 or 25mm 1.8).

I've had an EP5 for about two years, I love it. The 14-42 II R does work well for stills and video. In darker rooms use the built-in flash. I'd look for a used 14-42 II R - often less than $100 US here on the various sites - look on Ebay in your area or one of your local stores that has used stuff.

I think the EP5 is a much better camera and that you should stick with it. I had the EPL5 (which is not much different from the EPL6) and I found the EP5 to be a big step up. In addition to the factors you mention, the twin dial controls are superior to the fiddly back wheel, the LCD is higher resolution and with the  latest firmware you have access to the essential electronic first curtain "zero second" anti-shock shutter.

So do what you need to do with regard to a lens, but keep the EP5. You may also hear from forum guru, Guy Parsons, who I believe has happily transitioned from a pair of EPL5s to a pair of EP5s.

Lee

bwalter wrote:

I am taking a bit of a size/weight hit by going with the E-P5 but I think part of this is due to better build quality and I think it still is reasonably compact.

With a small prime lens, it will still be a pretty compact setup. And it is a different beast than the E-PL models.

I assume trading the 14-42 IIR in exchange to moving up to the E-P5 should be worth it?

Yes. That E-P5 should easily serve you for a good chunk of time, provided you don't catch G.A.S. The lack of EVF is probably the biggest complaint you could have about it, but even that can be solved if you hunt down a used attachable EVF.

On a side note, I'm considering picking up a used 12-50 EZ lens as this seems to be a more versatile lens than the 14-42 IIR.

Yes, if you can get one at a good price, that's not a bad idea. It will however make the camera rather bulky (the lens is rather long), even if it's actually lightweight. If I were in your shoes, I would not bother with the standard Oly 14-42 R zoom, unless you can get one for pennies.

I know what I really need is a fast prime, but I think the zoom will give me flexibility and let me figure out what focal length will work best for me (the ones I am considering are the 17mm 1.8, 20mm 1.7 or 25mm 1.8).

IMHO, this would really make the biggest difference. It would allow you to shoot without using flash in many situations that would require it when shooting with a slow zoom lens. Not to mention the ability to get shallow depth of field (this should be easy when shooting a small child from close distance, even with a lens as wide as 17mm).

And there's one option which might not be for everybody, but I find interesting. Get a cheap legacy lens and an adapter to mount it. There's plenty of fast 50mm primes in a variety of mounts. You can probably get one for 20-30 bucks, and an adapter would be about $10. Most of those legacy lenses are nowhere near close to the quality of modern lenses designed for digital cameras. But still, it's a very cheap way to have some fun. And you can get nice results, especially when you have time to set things up, so a posed family portrait or something like that. Just throwing an idea. I know I enjoyed this kind of stuff when I bought my first mirrorless camera (E-PL1, body only) and only had legacy M42 lenses to use with it. Now that I have more shooting experience, I can actually notice and enjoy the unique look some of my legacy lenses produce.

And about using flash, if you actually find yourself needing it often, I highly recommend buying a proper unit. A second hand Olympus FL-36R can be had for very little (got mine for about $100). It's an old model for 4/3 system, but is compatible (except the focus assist light, which will not work on Micro 4/3 cameras). You will not believe how big of a difference it makes when you bounce the light off of a ceiling instead of blasting it straight at your subjects. And it can be set up so that the built-in flash triggers it remotely, so you can experiment with different lighting setups.

Well, that ended up being quite random and all over the place

bwalter wrote:

In any case, I'm excited to try the 50mm lenses, as based on reviews they seem to be considered very good.

That might be one of the Takumars. If so, this is a sought out lens due to its unique rendering. Anyway, that puts you in a very comfortable position, as a M42->MFT adapter is very cheap, so even if you won't like the experience, it's not a big loss. With modern focusing aids like focus peaking, working with a manual focus lens is not really that hard.

On a different note, too bad the Panasonic 25mm 1.7 lens is not available right now at the spectacular $99 price it was being sold for recently. I'm thinking that would have been a good start for a native lens on a budget.

Yep, at that price, it's got no competition. I'm using it on E-M10 and enjoy it. Despite the fact that it's not as sharp as you would expect a prime lens to be. It never really gets very sharp, to be honest. And it's not as small as some other lenses of similar focal length. But I like the bokeh rendering. Unlike Olympus 45/1.8 for example, which makes things buttery smooth, Panasonic 25/1.7 has a bit of a character to it. It's a bit like some legacy lenses, only not as extreme. Something like this .