Pros:
20 mp sensor - Latest in the m43 line. One does like to
think that images are made using top of the line stuff. (Of course, Sony, Nikon
etc have sensors that capture way more information.) So now we have better high
ISO images and more cropping leeway.
Ergonomics - substantial grip, dials and buttons fairly easy
to use. Downside is that it weighs more. In fact, it weighs several ounces more
than my first DSLR, an Olympus E-510.
Image stabilization - makes hand-holding doable at extremely
slow shutter speeds. However I’ve noticed that the camera’s P mode will want to
increase ISO speed as opposed to decreasing shutter speed. Issue resolved using
. . .
Custom Modes - There are 3 that can be set. So I’ve set mode
#1 to take advantage of the image stabilization feature: aperture priority
f5.6, ISO range 200-400. So the shutter speed will vary according to the scene,
but in the woods it might be pretty slow. I’ve set mode #3 as a tripod mode,
for use in the camera’s high-res / HDR features.
High Res - OK, so I don’t know if this really represents
added value. But it might.
Cons:
Flip-out LCD screen - Not nearly as useful as the flip-up
screen found on my C-8080 and my E-M10. Have not used it even once for a
hand-held shot. Used it for my tripod high-res experiments, however. What’s
annoying is that some reviewers consider a flip-out screen as somehow an
absolutely necessary thing and their reviews reflect this. Ah well: at least my
E-PL7 has a flip-up screen.
Added weight and bulk - So, it doesn’t really weigh that
much. However, carried around one’s neck it’s pretty noticible. What’s
interesting is that, as smartphones have become cameras of choice for most
people, regular cameras, even small ones, are much more likely to stand out and
become objects of interest.
Neither here nor there:
Focus speed - Supposed to be really good. Never had that
much of an issue with my older cameras, though.
Menu system - Complicated, yes, but others have gone to the
trouble of figuring it out and writing it up. Once the initial setup has been
completed, that should be it, basically.
Lever - for me, a never-used feature, so it’s nice to see
that the lever position has been reversed: much less likely to be accidentally
flipped (as in the original E-M1.)
