E-PL what?

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix 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....

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?

The interface for it on the E-PL7 and E-PL8 is identical to that on the E-PL6. There are some separate features added to the two later models, such as Live Composite and Bulb/Timer Monitor, but all the previous Live Time and Live Bulb features remain too. The E-P5, a higher-end model which many are recommending, has 5-axis levitation IBIS (technically even better than the 3-axis type in the E-PL range from the 7 onwards) and two control dials, so is very nice to use. Bear in mind that it is larger and heavier, has a built-in flash, uses a different battery, and has a mechanical shutter which really needs to be switched to 0-sec Anti Shock (virtual EFCS mode, which the E-PL7 onwards also have, but they need it less as the shutter in the E-P5 is a higher-speed, higher impact one) and also that the E-P5 pre-dates the intro of Live Composite, so doesn't have it.

I checked out the E-PL9's approach to Live Composite; it retains it but also has a super-user friendly version of it and Live Time (i.e. dumbed down, fewer options and not with proper exposure mode access I think). Time Lapse remains in the full form and has some additional options for settings within the time lapse movie option, but the rest of the camera's configuration options are cut down a lot, even in PASM modes and of course it can't take an EVF (but has built in flash).

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.

I see! That's impressive (I've never done anything so creative, I am ashamed to say).

I'm intrigued with Live Composite and Live Bulb Timer/Monitor, does that add in camera stacking, or is that just a way to see how the image is progressing on the monitor?

And thanks, I usually have to wait until after midnight because of the light pollution here, so it is easier to just set it up on a tripod and take a nap!

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

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?

Opinions vary; there is the S-IS Auto mode which is supposed to sense the situation the camera is in. I've actually never seen any artefacts caused by having IS on with the tripod, but I don't shoot on a tripod all that often.

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

Quite probably. I'm a lazy photographer, I'm afraid, and tend to shoot in jpg only as I hate working on images in post for some reason (probably a lifetime of working too long in front of a computer, but also I'm indecisive yet invariably like the original shot best!!).

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

My 2-axis cameras such as the E-PL6 tend to make a 1/4 sec or so grind on turning off, rather than when starting up. Despite its floating nature (and on some bodies you can actually hear the sensor clunk whilst the power is off!) the 3- and 5-axis IBIS systems seem reliable and they are definitely a lot more effective than the mechanical 2-axis type. They don't grind (it's amusing to hear the E-PL6 doing a 2 second exposure - sounds like a coffee grinder!) but they do make a hissing, whooshing noise all the time (even with IBIS off, as the system then needs to hold the sensor at a centred position) and they have an option to ramp up the system fully during a half-press of the shutter release to stabilize live view, and this is louder still (on the E-PL9 and 10 this is non-optional - it always gets louder on half-press). All versions of IBIS, even the 2-axis of your E-PL6, will actually flash an icon (I think some of it is red - thankfully I've yet to see it - if the IBIS is malfunctioning).

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?

Well, my E-PL6 is fine so far but the earlier models with this (E-PL3 and E-PL5, which is mechanically identical to the E-PL6) do, and it's a massive, directional-erratic oversensitivity, so it happens on turning or pressing - when it often thinks it's been turned. In both cases, it will often assume that turn is for far more clicks than it was, and it will randomly decide the direction of the "turns" itself! However, bear in mind that my house is on the cool side and tends to be slightly damp as a result (little I can do about it - silica gel, dehumidifiers and of course heating only help to a limited extent) so this probably explains why my E-PL3 and 5 have tetchy dials, if it's a contact oxidising issue.

Thanks!

I have the same issues, so I use silica gels too!  And an electric heater in the winter!

I just experimented with IS and it does come on when you turn the camera off- I'm always worried that part will wear out.

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

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?

Opinions vary; there is the S-IS Auto mode which is supposed to sense the situation the camera is in. I've actually never seen any artefacts caused by having IS on with the tripod, but I don't shoot on a tripod all that often.

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

Quite probably. I'm a lazy photographer, I'm afraid, and tend to shoot in jpg only as I hate working on images in post for some reason (probably a lifetime of working too long in front of a computer, but also I'm indecisive yet invariably like the original shot best!!).

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

My 2-axis cameras such as the E-PL6 tend to make a 1/4 sec or so grind on turning off, rather than when starting up. Despite its floating nature (and on some bodies you can actually hear the sensor clunk whilst the power is off!) the 3- and 5-axis IBIS systems seem reliable and they are definitely a lot more effective than the mechanical 2-axis type. They don't grind (it's amusing to hear the E-PL6 doing a 2 second exposure - sounds like a coffee grinder!) but they do make a hissing, whooshing noise all the time (even with IBIS off, as the system then needs to hold the sensor at a centred position) and they have an option to ramp up the system fully during a half-press of the shutter release to stabilize live view, and this is louder still (on the E-PL9 and 10 this is non-optional - it always gets louder on half-press). All versions of IBIS, even the 2-axis of your E-PL6, will actually flash an icon (I think some of it is red - thankfully I've yet to see it - if the IBIS is malfunctioning).

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?

Well, my E-PL6 is fine so far but the earlier models with this (E-PL3 and E-PL5, which is mechanically identical to the E-PL6) do, and it's a massive, directional-erratic oversensitivity, so it happens on turning or pressing - when it often thinks it's been turned. In both cases, it will often assume that turn is for far more clicks than it was, and it will randomly decide the direction of the "turns" itself! However, bear in mind that my house is on the cool side and tends to be slightly damp as a result (little I can do about it - silica gel, dehumidifiers and of course heating only help to a limited extent) so this probably explains why my E-PL3 and 5 have tetchy dials, if it's a contact oxidising issue.

Thanks!

I have the same issues, so I use silica gels too! And an electric heater in the winter!

I just experimented with IS and it does come on when you turn the camera off- I'm always worried that part will wear out.

I think it's parking. You hear a gentle clunk in the 3- and 5-axis ones (also in Panasonics and Sonys using similar systems, and indeed Pentax who used this type before anybody else). I think Nikon's full frame IBIS in their mirrorless is also levitating, but it uses a mechanical clamping system which you hear clicking into place and releasing at the appropriate points (makes them very "talkative"). Fuji's X-H1 is another levitation 5-axis model, which really sounds like it's dropping a bag of concrete when it lets go of the sensor (which it even does on entry into playback mode)!

From how you described it, the EPL5/6 have the least movement/noise in the EPL series, but are also the least effective!  At any rate, it seems like none of them really "wear out", haven't seen reports of that anyway.  We do know the 7/8 are much more effective however.

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Helen wrote:

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?

The interface for it on the E-PL7 and E-PL8 is identical to that on the E-PL6. There are some separate features added to the two later models, such as Live Composite and Bulb/Timer Monitor, but all the previous Live Time and Live Bulb features remain too. The E-P5, a higher-end model which many are recommending, has 5-axis levitation IBIS (technically even better than the 3-axis type in the E-PL range from the 7 onwards) and two control dials, so is very nice to use. Bear in mind that it is larger and heavier, has a built-in flash, uses a different battery, and has a mechanical shutter which really needs to be switched to 0-sec Anti Shock (virtual EFCS mode, which the E-PL7 onwards also have, but they need it less as the shutter in the E-P5 is a higher-speed, higher impact one) and also that the E-P5 pre-dates the intro of Live Composite, so doesn't have it.

I checked out the E-PL9's approach to Live Composite; it retains it but also has a super-user friendly version of it and Live Time (i.e. dumbed down, fewer options and not with proper exposure mode access I think). Time Lapse remains in the full form and has some additional options for settings within the time lapse movie option, but the rest of the camera's configuration options are cut down a lot, even in PASM modes and of course it can't take an EVF (but has built in flash).

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.

I see! That's impressive (I've never done anything so creative, I am ashamed to say).

I'm intrigued with Live Composite and Live Bulb Timer/Monitor, does that add in camera stacking, or is that just a way to see how the image is progressing on the monitor?

And thanks, I usually have to wait until after midnight because of the light pollution here, so it is easier to just set it up on a tripod and take a nap!

The Bulb Timer/Monitor feature is actually just an independent brightness setting for the live view display, for example if you need it dimmer than when doing general shooting. Your E-PL6 already has Live Bulb and Live Time (which display the images building up whilst you are shooting using them) but lack the setting to alter the display brightness specifically for use with these modes, which the E-PL7 and 8 add. Live Composite is a rather nice additional evolution of Live Time etc. - it's used in manual exposure mode and has plenty of subsidiary flexibility to get it how you want it to operate regarding the exposure settings and the frequency of shooting and updating the display etc., but in a nutshell it takes an initial exposure, notes the points of brightness in it, and then will take further exposures (as specified by you) which ONLY record additional bright areas, without affecting the rest of the exposure (the results being shown on the monitor at the frequency you specify, and yes, the result is already composited for you). Excellent for shooting firework displays, for example, to show multiple different bursts.

Wow, sounds like it would also be useful for shooting stars!  I'm glad these cameras use the same batteries because since I do a lot of time lapse, I bought an accessory from an Olympus owner in Austria that allows one to use either mains AC power or AA batteries with these cameras (with a voltage regulator I purchased from a hardware store.)

Are there any additional timelapse features with the 7/8 that aren't on the 6?  Thanks!

Guy Parsons wrote:

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Are there any additional timelapse features with the 7/8 that aren't on the 6? Thanks!

I don't think that there are, though to be fair it's not a feature I've ever used myself, so others might know better. From the menu entries everything appears to be the same.

The only mention of time lapse seems to be in the E-PL8 specs....

Self-timer: Operation time: 12 sec., 2 sec., custom (Wait time: 1-30sec., Shot interval: 0.5/1/2/3sec., Number of shots: 1-10, Every time AF: Off/On)

Interval Mode: Interval Time 1sec. - 24 Hours, Max 999 frames.
Available on making Time-lapse movie automatically

That info from https://asia.olympus-imaging.com/product/dslr/epl8/spec.html

So Self Timer Mode delivers an up to 10 shot limited set and Interval Mode up to 999 shot set.

Third party products should be available to remotely control the camera to enable more ambitious control. I used to use a Hähnel product for that many years ago but not sure what they make now.

Also consider the E-M10 Mk2 which does have an electronic shutter and uses the same battery as the E-PL1/2/3/5/6/7/8/9/10

Regards..... Guy

Ah the E-M10 II is a good option. I was wondering if the 7/8 have an electronic shutter or a mechanical one- looks like it's mechanical?

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3820763

This fellow mentions the timelapse function in the 6 is limited to 99 frames.  Someone said that might be because of the mechanical shutter, that it's more fragile than an electronic shutter- which now makes me want to look around for Olympus bodies that have electronic shutters lol.  None of the E-PL cameras have them do they?

sounds like e-m10 ii is the best option because although 7/8 have good IS the shutter is mechanical, and the 9/10 have the electronic shutter but the menu is crippled.....does the e-m10 ii have an electronic shutter?

AllFlawed wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

sounds like e-m10 ii is the best option because although 7/8 have good IS the shutter is mechanical, and the 9/10 have the electronic shutter but the menu is crippled.....does the e-m10 ii have an electronic shutter?

Yes. The EM10 II is the last in the line really so best to get one while you can or the expensive EM5 III is the only option. Best one to get if you can afford it probably but the EM10 II is a fine bit of kit.

Well I checked ebay and what I found is that the EM10 II and EM10 III are within 100 dollars of each other- I can get the II version for 250 and the III version for about 300.... so should I go for the III instead? Do they both use the same battery I am using for my E-PL6?

I also found a EM5 II for about 300 (which I think uses a different battery but is weather proof?)

So which is the best one for me to get, EM-10 II, EM-10 III or EM-5 II? The E-M10 II is lightly used (1640 shutter count!)

Finally I found an E-PL7 for 180 but I am ruling that out because of its mechanical shutter.

Guy Parsons wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

sounds like e-m10 ii is the best option because although 7/8 have good IS the shutter is mechanical, and the 9/10 have the electronic shutter but the menu is crippled.....does the e-m10 ii have an electronic shutter?

Yes, I set mine to electronic more or less out of the box. Nice to have a silent camera, just like my little Sony RX100M6.

I found one on ebay with a 1640 shutter count for around 250! The EM-10 III was about 300, so should I also consider that? And the E-M5 II is around 300. The first two use the same battery as the EPL6 but the last one doesn't? And the last one is the only body that's weather proof? And they all have the electronic shutter, Guy?

Helen wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Guy Parsons wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

sounds like e-m10 ii is the best option because although 7/8 have good IS the shutter is mechanical, and the 9/10 have the electronic shutter but the menu is crippled.....does the e-m10 ii have an electronic shutter?

Yes, I set mine to electronic more or less out of the box. Nice to have a silent camera, just like my little Sony RX100M6.

I found one on ebay with a 1640 shutter count for around 250! The EM-10 III was about 300, so should I also consider that? And the E-M5 II is around 300. The first two use the same battery as the EPL6 but the last one doesn't? And the last one is the only body that's weather proof? And they all have the electronic shutter, Guy?

Ah - I too would have recommended the E-M10 Mark II had I realised you weren’t only willing to consider E-PL models!

Do NOT go for the E-M10 Mark III - it may be current, but it suffers from all the frustrating limitations Guy mentioned about the E-PL9 - and like that one, the most important is that the electronic shutter is ONLY available in a program-only special mode, with reduced options even compared with the already-reduced options and customisations that afflict these models.

However, the previous E-M10 Mark II has none of these limitations, and the electronic shutter is freely selectable in PASM modes, alongside full mechanical and EFCS. You’ll find everything the E-PL7 and 8 offer and much more, including even better 5-axis IBIS.

Yes, all E-M10 models use the same battery as your current camera - the E-M5 Mark II doesn’t. THE ‘5 II also has a fully functional electronic shutter (and EFCS and mechanical). It’s a heavier camera, still similar size, but weatherproof, without built in flash, which the E-M10 II has, and with a fully articulating screen (vs tilting on the E-M10 II).

Thanks, the E-M10 II is the one I'm getting! I called Olympus about the electronic shutters on their cameras and they gave me the run around saying "all current Olympus cameras have that feature" including the E-PL8. I take it that isn't true?

They also told me that "although Olympus doesn't release information on how long their shutters last, the mechanical shutters in previous Olympus cameras like the E-PL6 should last just as long as electronic shutters in the newer models." LOL. I wonder if they are just told to say that by their legal dept?

The only reason I was considering the E-M5 II (besides being weatherproof) was that it can be used in studio with an ac adapter- but with the accessory I bought that should be possible with the E-M10 also.

Guy Parsons wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

Guy Parsons wrote:

OutsideTheMatrix wrote:

sounds like e-m10 ii is the best option because although 7/8 have good IS the shutter is mechanical, and the 9/10 have the electronic shutter but the menu is crippled.....does the e-m10 ii have an electronic shutter?

Yes, I set mine to electronic more or less out of the box. Nice to have a silent camera, just like my little Sony RX100M6.

I found one on ebay with a 1640 shutter count for around 250!

I got my E-M10 MK2 for Oz$329 tax paid for brand new with two years warranty. That's about US$226 at today's rate, so to me US$250 sounds a little expensive.

The EM-10 III was about 300, so should I also consider that?

No. It's only for people simply wanting to take pictures and not for anyone likely to do anything slightly tricky, due to the seriously dumbed-down menus and missing features.

And the E-M5 II is around 300.

A better camera but uses the different battery of many of the OM-D as well as Pen-F and E-P5, about half the camera user population hates the flippy out sideways screen.

The first two use the same battery as the EPL6 but the last one doesn't?

Yes.

And the last one is the only body that's weather proof?

Yes.

And they all have the electronic shutter, Guy?

Yes.

Regards...... Guy

Thanks, Guy!  The Olympus guy confused me on the phone when he said that the E-PL8 has the electronic shutter too- and then he went on to say that mechanical shutters last just as long as electronic ones do (although they dont give out information on how long any of their shutters last!)