The Olympus Pen EPL7 vs EPL8 camera comparison

August 17, 2017 10 Comments
Olympus Pen EPL7 vs EPL8 comparison

So lots of you know how much I love my Olympus Pen camera. So much so that I have a section dedicated to it on my blog. If you've read my Olympus Pen EPL7 review post then you'll know I ditched my DSLR and shoot all of my blog content and my youtube on my Olympus Pen. Recently I got my hands on the Olympus Pen EPL8 camera and this is now the one I use and as I'm lucky enough to own both I thought an Olympus Pen EPL7 vs EPL8 camera comparison post would be helpful!

Now if you don't own an Olympus Pen camera yet and you are thinking of buying one then your pretty much going to have to buy the EPL8 as the 7 is pretty darn hard to find now, but if you already own the EPL7 and have been thinking about upgrading then read on too as this post will let you know the main differences between the two cameras.

Olympus Pen ELP7 vs EPL8 - Design

Olympus Pen EPL7 vs EPL8 camera comparison
olympus pen epl8 camera design
olympus pen epl7 camera design
olympus pen epl7 vs epl8 camera review
olympus pen epl7 camera design
olympus pen epl8 camera design

Design wise there are a few differences between the Olympus Pen EPL7 and ELP8. First up is the size. The Olympus EPL8 is a tiny weeny bit bigger, I mean we're talking millimeters, but it is also a little heavier too. The ELP7 comes in at 450g with the EPL8 just a tad heavier at 470g. Now this might not seem like a lot but I do tend to feel the weight when holding the camera with one hand and vlogging, but its not a huge deal.
The EPL8 comes in a three colourways, the white, the black and now a tan colour which really has that retro vibe about it. I opted for the white but I have to say I prefer the ELP7's all white body to the larger amount of silver on the ELP8. But thats just my taste.

You'll notice a difference in the design and size of the EPL8's handgrips at the front and back. I'm guessing changed for ergonomics or looks maybe, but the change in the back grip has made the record button much easier to press which was a gripe of mine with the EPL7. The control wheels on the top also have a slightly different look but all the options are in the same place so no change there. Plus underneath there's no change at all to the tripod thread so you will still need that handy tripod adapter to use the flip screen at the same time. 

 

Olympus Pen ELP7 vs EPL8 - menus

olympus pen epl7 menu layout
olympus pen epl8 menu layout
olympus pen epl7 vs epl8 menu layout

Menu's wise the two have almost identical layouts. The only difference is the Olympus Pen EPL8 has a pop up window which gives a quick explanation of what each setting is, which I think is super helpful especially for those people a bit confused by the menus and the accessory port menu option has gone, but who the hell ever used that anyway??.
Once you've activated your super control menu (instructions in this Olympus pen post) both cameras display exactly the same options on pressing the OK button.

 

Olympus Pen ELP7 vs EPL8 - Flip screens

olympus pen epl7 vs epl8 camera review
Olympus Pen EPL7 vs EPL8 camera comparison
olympus pen epl7 vs epl8 camera review

Both the Olympus Pen EPL7 and EPL8 have the same functions in terms of the flip screen movement and if you haven't yet flipped yours out onto the scaffold frame like the picture above then what have you been doing?? ha ha

Once the screen is flipped down both cameras will activate their selfie mode. Within this you can touch the screen to take a picture which will shoot one second later and set timer mode to take three photos in one go so you can switch positions. But the great thing the Olympus EPL8 now has is the record button on screen and a quick brighten option too. This is a god send for anyone vlogging on their Pen and also for quick selfies when you want to adjust the brightness fast. Here you can also turn on the clips function which is new for the EPL8 which will record video in short bursts which you can them combine with music to make a mini movie. Great for instagram videos especially!

 

Olympus Pen ELP7 vs EPL8 - art filters

olympus pen epl7 art filters
olympus pen epl8 art filters

Ok so the Olympus Pen Art Filter setting isn't one I ever frequent and that's because I like to shoot my images pure and edit after but if you do love an arty shot or want to add a cool filter on to your photo at the time of taking then definitely click your top wheel round to ART and try it out. The Olympus Pen ELP8 has a different Art filter menu layout which means you can preview what each filter looks like through the camera as you scroll through. But both cameras offer 14 art filters and 9 art effects. Definitely worth checking out the Partial Colour option which I'm going to cover in a separate post.

 

Olympus Pen ELP7 vs EPL8 - Scene Mode

olympus pen epl7 scene mode
Olympus Pen EPL7 vs EPL8 camera comparison

The Olympus Pen Scene setting is another great way of shooting if your unsure what setting to put your camera on. Click your top wheel round to SCN and press OK and you'll find a list of different scene options to choose from. Both the EPL7 and EPL8 offer the same list of choices in the same kind of display. You can choose from Sport, Night Scene, fireworks as well as loads of others. Plus click right and a pop up will explain each one which is super helpful. This is a great option for shooting things like fireworks or night shots when you can't quite suss out the settings yourself.

 

Olympus Pen ELP7 vs EPL8 - Picture Quality

Olympus Pen EPL7 vs EPL8 camera comparison
olympus pen epl7 vs epl8 camera review

Picture quality wise the two cameras are identical. They both have the same megapixels all that shizzle so both will capture incredible photos even with just the kit lens. The only difference is the EPL8 can now shoot at 8.5 frames per second in High Burst mode which is just a little speedier than the EPL7 at 8fps.

 

Olympus Pen ELP7 vs EPL8 - Other differences

So there are a couple of other differences between the Olympus Pen ELP7 vs the EPL8. First up the white Olympus Pen ELP8 comes with a white shoulder strap in the box!! Hurrah, this was one of my cons in my Olympus Pen EPL7 review post so I'm happy to see this change. Plus the EPL8 will come with the Cogs option already on the menu list whereas on the EPL7 you had to set this up. Both cameras come without the Super Control Menu (SCP) set up so you will have to do this for the EPL8 too if you want to use it. 

And also the EPL8 is only sold with the pancake lens. The Olympus Pen EPL7 was sold with two kit lens options one a bit cheaper and larger which was pretty confusing for everyone so I think its good the EPL8 only comes with one option.  Lens wise all the lens will fit both cameras so there's no difference there at all and if you upgrade to the EPL8 your lens will all work fine. Also all the Olympus Pen accessories fit both cameras too.

So that's a little Olympus Pen EPL7 vs EPL8 camera comparison. Both are kick ass cameras and you'll be super happy with either but I think the few extra features on the ELP8 just gives it that edge. I can't wait to see what the next Olympus Pen camera will be like. I suspect that wont be out for a good while yet as the EPL8 is still going strong.

 

SHOP THE OLYMPUS PEN EPL8 HERE AND HERE 

 

I've got lots more Olympus Pen posts coming so do let me know in the comments what posts you would find helpful to really get to grip with your Olympus pen camera.

 

Debs

x

 

Bang on Style

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10 Comments

  • Alison Rackley August 17, 2017 at 7:56 pm

    Hi Debs
    I have been thinking about buying this camera for weeks after reading your blogs, I am going to buy it tomorrow…..
    Love your blog, and all your tips.
    Alison
    x

  • Alicia August 17, 2017 at 8:01 pm

    I’m kind of glad I got the E-PL7 opposed to the 8, I prefer the colourway and the grip on the 7. I managed to get mine from Jessops the other week, along with the 45mm lens and a 32gb memory card for £648 and I thought that wasn’t a bad price. I’m certainly going to go through the section you’ve done on this camera to try and figure out the settings as I’m currently just shooting on auto!
    Alicia x
    http://www.aestheticobsessed.co.uk

  • Laura August 18, 2017 at 10:52 am

    I’ve got an Olympus Pen E-P1. A little outdated compared to these two, but I still absolutely love it. The quality is just amazing.

    I’ve also got a Sony A5000, so my Olympus doesn’t always get the attention it deserves but you may have just rekindled my love for it.

    Laura ¦ http://www.laurahasablog.co.uk

  • Sophie August 18, 2017 at 11:22 am

    I’ve been thinking of investing of an Olympus Pen so I found this super interesting – obviously I’m unlikely to be able to go for the EPL7 anyway but it was just cool to see and oh my god it definitely made me want an Olympus more! When I finally take the plunge I think all your previous posts will be pretty handy to refer back to haha xxx

    Sophie | Sophar So Good

  • Caitlin August 27, 2017 at 5:46 pm

    This a great post and review! With so many cameras on the market, it’s hard to cut through the jargon and see what type of camera is best suited. No doubt this model is aesthetically pleasing as well having great features!

  • Brianna Kirk January 4, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    This post was so helpful, very thorough. THank YOUUU!

    • Bang on Style January 9, 2018 at 11:59 am

      Ah you are so welcome xxxx

  • Obuz May 2, 2018 at 4:39 pm

    I thought of purchasing EPL8, but then realized it has small Micro Four Third sensor. Other manufacturers, namely Sony, Canon and Fuji, are offering larger APS-C sensors in their mirrorless cameras which cost less than EPL8. Olympus cameras now look seriously overpriced in the market.

    • Rich May 24, 2018 at 2:50 pm

      Larger sensors don’t mean better camera. With M43 you have a superb system with an almost infinite lens choice. Having switched from a decade of apsc dslr there is no way I’d go back to those behemoths and their bulky lenses.

  • Rich May 24, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    Great blog btw. Love your style. It’s bang on in fact :-)

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