E-PL what?

Which models in this series have the largest gap in image quality and functionality between generations? I have the E-PL6 which I got from Newegg for 249 back in January 2016 along with the 14-42 II lens and later on I added the 40-150 R lens for 99 from Best Buy. I see the E-PL8 on sale for 298.... and it is stated thats the last model in the series with an accessory port and the ability to use an external EVF.... is this true?

I mostly want to do astrophotography (long exposure images of constellations like Orion) and long zoom birding..... are any of the newer features in the models that came after the E-PL6 of any use for those subjects?

https://www.astrobin.com/full/kje32b/0/?real=&mod=

Orion, from my light polluted location (13 sec exposure at ISO 400 and f/3.5 at 14mm.)

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63245229

https://www.astrobin.com/kje32b/

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63265824

AllFlawed wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Which models in this series have the largest gap in image quality and functionality between generations? I have the E-PL6 which I got from Newegg for 249 back in January 2016 along with the 14-42 II lens and later on I added the 40-150 R lens for 99 from Best Buy. I see the E-PL8 on sale for 298.... and it is stated thats the last model in the series with an accessory port and the ability to use an external EVF.... is this true?

I mostly want to do astrophotography (long exposure images of constellations like Orion) and long zoom birding..... are any of the newer features in the models that came after the E-PL6 of any use for those subjects?

https://www.astrobin.com/full/kje32b/0/?real=&mod=

Orion, from my light polluted location (13 sec exposure at ISO 400 and f/3.5 at 14mm.)

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63245229

https://www.astrobin.com/kje32b/

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63265824

I would skip the E-PL9 as in the E-PL10 they have at least partially pulled back on the hatchet job they did with the menus post E-PL8.

The latest E-M10 and E-PL9+ are not really the sophisticated cameras now for any serious work I would think in the way the E-PL6 was and seem to be marketed as more social fun cameras.

Wow, so the latest camera in that series that had the largest feature set was the E-PL8?

Is the E-PL8 basically identical to the E-PL7?  So the difference between the E-PL6 and the E-PL8 is that the latter has the antishock feature, and other than that they are identical?

AllFlawed wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

AllFlawed wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Which models in this series have the largest gap in image quality and functionality between generations? I have the E-PL6 which I got from Newegg for 249 back in January 2016 along with the 14-42 II lens and later on I added the 40-150 R lens for 99 from Best Buy. I see the E-PL8 on sale for 298.... and it is stated thats the last model in the series with an accessory port and the ability to use an external EVF.... is this true?

I mostly want to do astrophotography (long exposure images of constellations like Orion) and long zoom birding..... are any of the newer features in the models that came after the E-PL6 of any use for those subjects?

https://www.astrobin.com/full/kje32b/0/?real=&mod=

Orion, from my light polluted location (13 sec exposure at ISO 400 and f/3.5 at 14mm.)

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63245229

https://www.astrobin.com/kje32b/

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63265824

I would skip the E-PL9 as in the E-PL10 they have at least partially pulled back on the hatchet job they did with the menus post E-PL8.

The latest E-M10 and E-PL9+ are not really the sophisticated cameras now for any serious work I would think in the way the E-PL6 was and seem to be marketed as more social fun cameras.

Wow, so the latest camera in that series that had the largest feature set was the E-PL8?

It would seem so. I have a an E-Pl9 and rushed to get an EM10 II while they were still around so I could get the proper Olympus menus which seem to terrify the dumb reviewers so much and the write ups probably just spooked Olympus in the end. The E-PL9 is a fun camera in its way but the Electronic shutter in the Auto modes is a permanent irritation but the E-PL8 does not have it at all I believe but now the E-PL10 has it has back as a drive function on the usual modes, so there is a bit of a now we have it now we don't now it is back upgrade tease going on here.

The E-PL9 menus do seem to have a work in progress feel about them with no * menu with all the functions labelled anymore which i always thought was Olympus's great feature with everything neatly arranged in to labelled groups. It was a relief when the EM5 was spared this treatment.

Some people probably like the new setup but remembering what is behind A,B,C1,C2,D1,D2... etc. is a bit of a struggle for me.

Old and new

Is the E-PL8 basically identical to the E-PL7? So the difference between the E-PL6 and the E-PL8 is that the latter has the antishock feature, and other than that they are identical?

Someone else needs to answer this but apart from this key points probably similar.

I would think currently the EM5 III is the serious camera now and I would really love one of those but pricey.

Yes, I liked the old menus.  I got used to them with my old E-520 so the E-PL6 felt very natural.  I was thinking of picking up an E-PL8 on ebay but they are all around 200, for which price I could pick up an E-M10 or even E-M5. All the E-PL models use the same battery I think?

E-M5 III has an amazing feature set, would love to get one of those as a present to myself next year

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

AllFlawed wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

AllFlawed wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Which models in this series have the largest gap in image quality and functionality between generations? I have the E-PL6 which I got from Newegg for 249 back in January 2016 along with the 14-42 II lens and later on I added the 40-150 R lens for 99 from Best Buy. I see the E-PL8 on sale for 298.... and it is stated thats the last model in the series with an accessory port and the ability to use an external EVF.... is this true?

I mostly want to do astrophotography (long exposure images of constellations like Orion) and long zoom birding..... are any of the newer features in the models that came after the E-PL6 of any use for those subjects?

https://www.astrobin.com/full/kje32b/0/?real=&mod=

Orion, from my light polluted location (13 sec exposure at ISO 400 and f/3.5 at 14mm.)

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63245229

https://www.astrobin.com/kje32b/

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63265824

I would skip the E-PL9 as in the E-PL10 they have at least partially pulled back on the hatchet job they did with the menus post E-PL8.

The latest E-M10 and E-PL9+ are not really the sophisticated cameras now for any serious work I would think in the way the E-PL6 was and seem to be marketed as more social fun cameras.

Wow, so the latest camera in that series that had the largest feature set was the E-PL8?

It would seem so. I have a an E-Pl9 and rushed to get an EM10 II while they were still around so I could get the proper Olympus menus which seem to terrify the dumb reviewers so much and the write ups probably just spooked Olympus in the end. The E-PL9 is a fun camera in its way but the Electronic shutter in the Auto modes is a permanent irritation but the E-PL8 does not have it at all I believe but now the E-PL10 has it has back as a drive function on the usual modes, so there is a bit of a now we have it now we don't now it is back upgrade tease going on here.

The E-PL9 menus do seem to have a work in progress feel about them with no * menu with all the functions labelled anymore which i always thought was Olympus's great feature with everything neatly arranged in to labelled groups. It was a relief when the EM5 was spared this treatment.

Some people probably like the new setup but remembering what is behind A,B,C1,C2,D1,D2... etc. is a bit of a struggle for me.

Old and new

Is the E-PL8 basically identical to the E-PL7? So the difference between the E-PL6 and the E-PL8 is that the latter has the antishock feature, and other than that they are identical?

Someone else needs to answer this but apart from this key points probably similar.

I would think currently the EM5 III is the serious camera now and I would really love one of those but pricey.

Yes, I liked the old menus. I got used to them with my old E-520 so the E-PL6 felt very natural. I was thinking of picking up an E-PL8 on ebay but they are all around 200, for which price I could pick up an E-M10 or even E-M5. All the E-PL models use the same battery I think?

E-M5 III has an amazing feature set, would love to get one of those as a present to myself next year

I had the E-PL7 for a few years, but couldn’t abide the lack of an EVF. Traded it for an E-M10 which is essentially the same innards as the PL7 with the EVF. I than upgraded to the E-M10 II which was a good upgrade, and still remains my all time favorite Olympus body, even though I have more technical advanced..... and more expensive ones..... to choose from.

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

AllFlawed wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Which models in this series have the largest gap in image quality and functionality between generations? I have the E-PL6 which I got from Newegg for 249 back in January 2016 along with the 14-42 II lens and later on I added the 40-150 R lens for 99 from Best Buy. I see the E-PL8 on sale for 298.... and it is stated thats the last model in the series with an accessory port and the ability to use an external EVF.... is this true?

I mostly want to do astrophotography (long exposure images of constellations like Orion) and long zoom birding..... are any of the newer features in the models that came after the E-PL6 of any use for those subjects?

https://www.astrobin.com/full/kje32b/0/?real=&mod=

Orion, from my light polluted location (13 sec exposure at ISO 400 and f/3.5 at 14mm.)

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63245229

https://www.astrobin.com/kje32b/

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/63265824

I would skip the E-PL9 as in the E-PL10 they have at least partially pulled back on the hatchet job they did with the menus post E-PL8.

The latest E-M10 and E-PL9+ are not really the sophisticated cameras now for any serious work I would think in the way the E-PL6 was and seem to be marketed as more social fun cameras.

Wow, so the latest camera in that series that had the largest feature set was the E-PL8?

Yes - or the E-PL7, see below.

Is the E-PL8 basically identical to the E-PL7? So the difference between the E-PL6 and the E-PL8 is that the latter has the antishock feature, and other than that they are identical?

Yes, the E-PL8 is the same camera as the E-PL7, albeit in a totally restyled body shell. The only functional/software differences are a tiny layout change in the icons when the screen is facing forwards in selfie mode only, and maybe one extra Art Filter (I forget - I could go and look, but...).

However, the E-PL7/8 are VERY different from the E-PL6. You can get a good insight into it here:

https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/olympus-e-pl7/olympus-e-pl7A.HTM

The reviewer draws some comparisons between (and shows side by side) the E-PL5 and E-PL7. Of course the E-PL5 lacked a few nice software additions that your E-PL6 has and these were carried over to the E-PL7 and 8. In a nutshell, the new, very slightly larger body of the E-PL7 (and 8) incorporates a higher-resolution, 3:2 aspect ratio LCD which makes it much roomier in use than the constrained 16:9 screen of the previous models. The somewhat "ticklish" (if it succumbs to oxidation of the contacts) rotating ring around the 4-way controller is replaced by a metal control wheel around the shutter release, various controls are re-arranged, the monitor flips downwards to face the front instead of upwards, and most importantly, the in-body stabilisation is the 3-axis levitating type from the E-M10 original model, which is massively more effective than the 2-axis mechanical type used on the previous E-PL models. As you mention, the E-PL7 and 8 have the 0-second Anti-Shock option for the shutter (effectively this gives them a form of EFCS - electronic first-curtain operation) and it is very beneficial at certain shutter speeds for eradicating the possibility of shutter shock affecting your shots. As AllFlawed mentioned, they don't have a silent shutter option as this only arrived (in a terribly hampered fashion) in the E-PL9, to be corrected in the E-PL10, but both of those lost compatibility with the add-on EVFs and had huge configuration cuts due to the ill-advised severe shortening of the menu system in PASM modes.

There are many other changes from the E-PL6 to the 7/8 covered in that review I linked to. The E-PL8 is still quite easy to find new. Incidentally, the operation of the auto-display switch eye sensor on the VF-4 EVF is much quicker and more responsive on the E-PL7 and E-PL8 than it was on the E-PL6 (which was of course far better than the E-PL5, which couldn't use the eye sensor!).

That change with the rotating dial is good news because I have some problems with it since I use manual exposure mode an awful lot. Does the rotating ring on the E-PL6 stop working with time?

Also, are you aware of any trade in program that Olympus has in going from the E-PL6 to the E-PL8?  I do that sometimes when upgrading cameras (and paying a fee plus the trade in).

I haven't kept up with the E-PL line since I traded in my E-PL1 so no opinion on your basic question.  However, I might suggest you consider picking up an EP5 "kit".  I see one new on Ebay for US $580 which includes the Oly 17/1.8 and the VF4 viewfinder.  It has 0-second anti-shock, dual control wheels, 5 axis stabilization and even a built in flash.  And the 17/1.8 is a better lens for your astro work.  A little bigger than the EPL's, but not by much.

I still use my EP5 alongside my EM5.2 - great camera!

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Helen wrote:

Yes, the E-PL8 is the same camera as the E-PL7, albeit in a totally restyled body shell. The only functional/software differences are a tiny layout change in the icons when the screen is facing forwards in selfie mode only, and maybe one extra Art Filter (I forget - I could go and look, but...).

However, the E-PL7/8 are VERY different from the E-PL6. You can get a good insight into it here:

https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/olympus-e-pl7/olympus-e-pl7A.HTM

The reviewer draws some comparisons between (and shows side by side) the E-PL5 and E-PL7. Of course the E-PL5 lacked a few nice software additions that your E-PL6 has and these were carried over to the E-PL7 and 8. In a nutshell, the new, very slightly larger body of the E-PL7 (and 8) incorporates a higher-resolution, 3:2 aspect ratio LCD which makes it much roomier in use than the constrained 16:9 screen of the previous models. The somewhat "ticklish" (if it succumbs to oxidation of the contacts) rotating ring around the 4-way controller is replaced by a metal control wheel around the shutter release, various controls are re-arranged, the monitor flips downwards to face the front instead of upwards, and most importantly, the in-body stabilisation is the 3-axis levitating type from the E-M10 original model, which is massively more effective than the 2-axis mechanical type used on the previous E-PL models. As you mention, the E-PL7 and 8 have the 0-second Anti-Shock option for the shutter (effectively this gives them a form of EFCS - electronic first-curtain operation) and it is very beneficial at certain shutter speeds for eradicating the possibility of shutter shock affecting your shots. As AllFlawed mentioned, they don't have a silent shutter option as this only arrived (in a terribly hampered fashion) in the E-PL9, to be corrected in the E-PL10, but both of those lost compatibility with the add-on EVFs and had huge configuration cuts due to the ill-advised severe shortening of the menu system in PASM modes.

There are many other changes from the E-PL6 to the 7/8 covered in that review I linked to. The E-PL8 is still quite easy to find new. Incidentally, the operation of the auto-display switch eye sensor on the VF-4 EVF is much quicker and more responsive on the E-PL7 and E-PL8 than it was on the E-PL6 (which was of course far better than the E-PL5, which couldn't use the eye sensor!).

That change with the rotating dial is good news because I have some problems with it since I use manual exposure mode an awful lot. Does the rotating ring on the E-PL6 stop working with time?

I have found that the models with the ring around the 4-way controller (E-PL2, 3, 5, and 6, plus the E-PM1 and E-PM2) can develop an issue whereby the ring becomes hyper-sensitive and tends to jump around as if it's being turned a fair way in either direction, randomly, when all you did was press it once. I think it's oxidised contacts probably, and could therefore more come from long periods of rest and the type of atmosphere it's stored in. Energetic exercise of the ring can help rectify it for a while. Having said that, my E-PL6 hasn't done it, so maybe they changed a component about then.

The much heftier metal control dial around the shutter release on the E-PL7 and E-PL8 is of course still the only rotating control on those models, but it does seem to benefit from being purely a control dial, and not having to double up as the 4-way controller (which remains on the back and is just the 4-way keys, with no rotating element (still with the OK button at its centre of course). I haven't had any trouble with that new design and not having to avoid pressing the compass points makes it easier to operate fast, too. I like that its design is friendly for index finger use, though it is possible to use it with the thumb too, if desired. It's still used on the E-PL9 and E-PL10, but those cameras as discussed before tread a different path, going for a more beginner-friendly simplicity by dropping lots of the configuration options to simplify the menus, as well as dropping the EVF port (though a built in flash is back after a long absence - last seen on the E-PL2). The bodies on the 9 and 10 are polycarbonate, rather than the metal of their predecessors since the E-PL3 (the E-PL1 and 2 had metal fronts and polycarbonate rears and rims, as did the E-PM2 [but not the E-PM1, which was all-metal like the E-PL3, aside from the E-PM1's large Perspex panel surrounding the rear LCD and encompassing the buttons).

Also, are you aware of any trade in program that Olympus has in going from the E-PL6 to the E-PL8? I do that sometimes when upgrading cameras (and paying a fee plus the trade in).

Afraid not, though that's not to say there isn't one, as I strongly suspect you're in the US and as you might have spotted from some of my spelling above, I'm in the UK.

Thanks, Helen, when did you get your EPL6? I got mine in January 2016.

Yes, I'm in New York, and Olympus offered me a trade in plan for my old E-520 but rather than take that I bought my EPL6 and kept my E-520 also!

I read the EPL7 review you linked me to, and it seems they think the EPL5 is a little better in terms of preserving detail at higher ISO, but I suppose this wouldn't matter for most users?

https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/olympus-e-pl7/olympus-e-pl7-image-quality.htm#print-quality

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Which models in this series have the largest gap in image quality and functionality between generations? I have the E-PL6 which I got from Newegg for 249 back in January 2016 along with the 14-42 II lens and later on I added the 40-150 R lens for 99 from Best Buy. I see the E-PL8 on sale for 298.... and it is stated thats the last model in the series with an accessory port and the ability to use an external EVF.... is this true?

I mostly want to do astrophotography (long exposure images of constellations like Orion) and long zoom birding..... are any of the newer features in the models that came after the E-PL6 of any use for those subjects?

The PEN's, except for the EPL1 and maybe  the last ones, could use the VF2, VF3, and VF4 external viewfinders. The EPL6 sure could. The VF3 is pretty crude. Avoid it. I have all three., That's like $500 I spent in the distant past just for viewfinders.

That's the first look I've had at Orion in about 15-20 years. Last time I saw it with naked eye, I was using a cheapo telescope in Northern Wisconsin, on shores of Lake Michigan, no lights all. We also picked out some of the moons around Jupiter,  Just hanging there. Silent. Bright.  Amazing.

AllFlawed wrote:

Helen wrote:

baxters wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Which models in this series have the largest gap in image quality and functionality between generations? I have the E-PL6 which I got from Newegg for 249 back in January 2016 along with the 14-42 II lens and later on I added the 40-150 R lens for 99 from Best Buy. I see the E-PL8 on sale for 298.... and it is stated thats the last model in the series with an accessory port and the ability to use an external EVF.... is this true?

I mostly want to do astrophotography (long exposure images of constellations like Orion) and long zoom birding..... are any of the newer features in the models that came after the E-PL6 of any use for those subjects?

The PEN's, except for the EPL1 and maybe the last ones, could use the VF2, VF3, and VF4 external viewfinders. The EPL6 sure could. The VF3 is pretty crude. Avoid it. I have all three., That's like $500 I spent in the distant past just for viewfinders.

Yes, I have all three also - you're right about the VF3 - it's nice and compact, but it has really vicious high contrast and noticeably lower resolution than the others. The E-PL6 was the first E-PL to be able to use the VF-4's auto-switching eye sensor to flip between EVF and LCD, but is a wee bit sluggish in my experience. The E-PL7 and 8 rectified that. The E-PL1 actually could use the EVFs too, by the way - certainly the VF-2 and VF-3 - I don't recall ever trying the VF-4 on it but there may well have been a firmware upgrade to enable it. The current E-PL9 and E-PL10 sadly have lost the accessory port, so have no option for an EVF whatsoever. This is a somewhat weird decision, since with the discontinuation of the Pen-F, it leaves no current Pen model (though the E-PL8 is still available new in some regions, but will no doubt soon disappear) with any possibility of EVF use. Then again, with the simplification of the user interface (by feature removal) on the E-PL9 and 10, I guess buyers are unlikely to be folks who already have accessory EVFs or are likely to want them. That then begs the question of why the built-in EVF equipped E-M10 Mark III has the same level of simplification....

The menu has been depleted but removing the labels on the * functions actually makes it more difficult to use. I am not sure if simplification has been achieved. No custom modes either which is difficult and no favourites menu plus in the 9 the dreadful tobacco stained glow with being locked in to extra warm white balance in silent shutter in artificial light which is probably when I would most use it. If I had a 10 I would probably keep it but the 9 seems a bit of a misfire and i will sell it. Doing this with the EM10 probably wipes this camera out as an enthusiast model but possibly there is no money at this level and they want a smaller team working on firmware.

Getting people to splash out on the E-M5 III may be what they want and I am tempted but the Mk II is OK.

Pity to see the end of the EM-10 line as an enthusiast camera. DPR reviewers are still clamouring for the menus to be even more cut back. I wish Olympus had stuck to their guns and ignored the Canikony reviewers struggling with their short play with an unfamiliar unusual camera and had kept to what they do well and just refined that gradually.

I have the E-M10 II and the E-M5 III.

While the Olympus marketing would like to present the 5.3 as a mini E-M1II (which I also have), to me, it is more of a super turbo-charged, weather sealed, PDAF focusing, 20mpx, 5.5 stop IBIS......E-M10 II.

And, while to my mind the E-M10 II remains the best deal in the Olympus lineup, the E-M5 III is a great upgrade and worth every penny of the intro. price.

Helen wrote:

baxters wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Which models in this series have the largest gap in image quality and functionality between generations? I have the E-PL6 which I got from Newegg for 249 back in January 2016 along with the 14-42 II lens and later on I added the 40-150 R lens for 99 from Best Buy. I see the E-PL8 on sale for 298.... and it is stated thats the last model in the series with an accessory port and the ability to use an external EVF.... is this true?

I mostly want to do astrophotography (long exposure images of constellations like Orion) and long zoom birding..... are any of the newer features in the models that came after the E-PL6 of any use for those subjects?

The PEN's, except for the EPL1 and maybe the last ones, could use the VF2, VF3, and VF4 external viewfinders. The EPL6 sure could. The VF3 is pretty crude. Avoid it. I have all three., That's like $500 I spent in the distant past just for viewfinders.

Yes, I have all three also - you're right about the VF3 - it's nice and compact, but it has really vicious high contrast and noticeably lower resolution than the others. The E-PL6 was the first E-PL to be able to use the VF-4's auto-switching eye sensor to flip between EVF and LCD, but is a wee bit sluggish in my experience. The E-PL7 and 8 rectified that. The E-PL1 actually could use the EVFs too, by the way - certainly the VF-2 and VF-3 - I don't recall ever trying the VF-4 on it but there may well have been a firmware upgrade to enable it. The current E-PL9 and E-PL10 sadly have lost the accessory port, so have no option for an EVF whatsoever. This is a somewhat weird decision, since with the discontinuation of the Pen-F, it leaves no current Pen model (though the E-PL8 is still available new in some regions, but will no doubt soon disappear) with any possibility of EVF use. Then again, with the simplification of the user interface (by feature removal) on the E-PL9 and 10, I guess buyers are unlikely to be folks who already have accessory EVFs or are likely to want them. That then begs the question of why the built-in EVF equipped E-M10 Mark III has the same level of simplification....

Helen, the timelapse feature of the EPL-6 is really important to me, can you tell me if that was crippled in future versions or maybe even made more functional?

I use it for astrophotography when I want to stack images later.  I just set the camera on a tripod late at night and it shoots away as I sleep.

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Helen wrote:

Yes, the E-PL8 is the same camera as the E-PL7, albeit in a totally restyled body shell. The only functional/software differences are a tiny layout change in the icons when the screen is facing forwards in selfie mode only, and maybe one extra Art Filter (I forget - I could go and look, but...).

However, the E-PL7/8 are VERY different from the E-PL6. You can get a good insight into it here:

https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/olympus-e-pl7/olympus-e-pl7A.HTM

The reviewer draws some comparisons between (and shows side by side) the E-PL5 and E-PL7. Of course the E-PL5 lacked a few nice software additions that your E-PL6 has and these were carried over to the E-PL7 and 8. In a nutshell, the new, very slightly larger body of the E-PL7 (and 8) incorporates a higher-resolution, 3:2 aspect ratio LCD which makes it much roomier in use than the constrained 16:9 screen of the previous models. The somewhat "ticklish" (if it succumbs to oxidation of the contacts) rotating ring around the 4-way controller is replaced by a metal control wheel around the shutter release, various controls are re-arranged, the monitor flips downwards to face the front instead of upwards, and most importantly, the in-body stabilisation is the 3-axis levitating type from the E-M10 original model, which is massively more effective than the 2-axis mechanical type used on the previous E-PL models. As you mention, the E-PL7 and 8 have the 0-second Anti-Shock option for the shutter (effectively this gives them a form of EFCS - electronic first-curtain operation) and it is very beneficial at certain shutter speeds for eradicating the possibility of shutter shock affecting your shots. As AllFlawed mentioned, they don't have a silent shutter option as this only arrived (in a terribly hampered fashion) in the E-PL9, to be corrected in the E-PL10, but both of those lost compatibility with the add-on EVFs and had huge configuration cuts due to the ill-advised severe shortening of the menu system in PASM modes.

There are many other changes from the E-PL6 to the 7/8 covered in that review I linked to. The E-PL8 is still quite easy to find new. Incidentally, the operation of the auto-display switch eye sensor on the VF-4 EVF is much quicker and more responsive on the E-PL7 and E-PL8 than it was on the E-PL6 (which was of course far better than the E-PL5, which couldn't use the eye sensor!).

That change with the rotating dial is good news because I have some problems with it since I use manual exposure mode an awful lot. Does the rotating ring on the E-PL6 stop working with time?

I have found that the models with the ring around the 4-way controller (E-PL2, 3, 5, and 6, plus the E-PM1 and E-PM2) can develop an issue whereby the ring becomes hyper-sensitive and tends to jump around as if it's being turned a fair way in either direction, randomly, when all you did was press it once. I think it's oxidised contacts probably, and could therefore more come from long periods of rest and the type of atmosphere it's stored in. Energetic exercise of the ring can help rectify it for a while. Having said that, my E-PL6 hasn't done it, so maybe they changed a component about then.

The much heftier metal control dial around the shutter release on the E-PL7 and E-PL8 is of course still the only rotating control on those models, but it does seem to benefit from being purely a control dial, and not having to double up as the 4-way controller (which remains on the back and is just the 4-way keys, with no rotating element (still with the OK button at its centre of course). I haven't had any trouble with that new design and not having to avoid pressing the compass points makes it easier to operate fast, too. I like that its design is friendly for index finger use, though it is possible to use it with the thumb too, if desired. It's still used on the E-PL9 and E-PL10, but those cameras as discussed before tread a different path, going for a more beginner-friendly simplicity by dropping lots of the configuration options to simplify the menus, as well as dropping the EVF port (though a built in flash is back after a long absence - last seen on the E-PL2). The bodies on the 9 and 10 are polycarbonate, rather than the metal of their predecessors since the E-PL3 (the E-PL1 and 2 had metal fronts and polycarbonate rears and rims, as did the E-PM2 [but not the E-PM1, which was all-metal like the E-PL3, aside from the E-PM1's large Perspex panel surrounding the rear LCD and encompassing the buttons).

Also, are you aware of any trade in program that Olympus has in going from the E-PL6 to the E-PL8? I do that sometimes when upgrading cameras (and paying a fee plus the trade in).

Afraid not, though that's not to say there isn't one, as I strongly suspect you're in the US and as you might have spotted from some of my spelling above, I'm in the UK.

Thanks, Helen, when did you get your EPL6? I got mine in January 2016.

I bought it brand new, ordered on 29 September 2014 - it was available in the UK before it made it over to the US, but here it was still considerably after its initial marketing in Japan and nearby territories (initially exclusively there). It's a black one - I wanted to get a version that was different to the E-PL5 versions (it has a matte black crackle finish and orange-red metallic highlight rings here and there, versus the smooth black anodised E-PL5 - though as it happens, my E-PL5 is a white one! In the case of the white versions, only the removable grip and the matching little thumb piece on the back are different - beige on the E-PL5, white on the E-PL6). Yes, I have a trivial mind and a terrifically compulsive personality....

Yes, I'm in New York, and Olympus offered me a trade in plan for my old E-520 but rather than take that I bought my EPL6 and kept my E-520 also!

I read the EPL7 review you linked me to, and it seems they think the EPL5 is a little better in terms of preserving detail at higher ISO, but I suppose this wouldn't matter for most users?

https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/olympus-e-pl7/olympus-e-pl7-image-quality.htm#print-quality

It'll be very subtle if it's there at all - though it could be down to differences in the version of the image processing engine, it's just as likely down to a different noise filter setting, different shooting conditions, or even simply sample variation. The E-PL7's much better 3-axis floating IBIS and the 0-sec Anti Shock setting (which is a virtual electronic first curtain shutter option) both mean that more resolution is actually possible in my experience - not that I've tested it hugely, I have to admit (sorry!). But I can say for sure that those two features eradicate issues I sometimes had with the E-PL6 and its immediate predecessors due to issues with vibration from the shutter and how it interacted with their earlier-design 2-axis mechanical IBIS.

For usage on a tripod and with the self-timer, would you still recommend the IS be turned off?

Also, in RAW mode, the output should be identical for all the cameras, regardless of TruePic version?

Is floating IS also more durable than mechanical IS?  My camera makes a grinding sound at start up I've been worried about.

And the issues you mentioned about the dial on the back of the EPL-6, do they also happen when you just use it as a four way controller or are they issues when turning it only?

Thanks!

I agree about the E-P5 - I more or less had one land in my lap locally for an excellent price and am very pleased with it - With an EVF attached it is a fine camera and is the backup to my EM1-Mkii - I retired the EPL-8 in favor of the E-P5 and while it is slightly larger than the EPL-8 it is still very portable and with the P/L 25mm is my take it with me 'walking around' set up -
Monty