I’ve been using Olympus Pen cameras for the last five years now and as you know I’m a huge fan! All my blog & Instagram photography is shot on Pen… But recently I’ve been getting to grips with the Olympus OMD E-M10 and am loving it too! There are some amazing deals on both right now – the Pen E-PL8 at a crazy low price (with STYLO150) – so which one is right for you?…

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The offers!

Use STYLO150 to get £150 off the models below until October 15 2019.

Olympus Pen E-PL8 now £249, down from £399

Olympus OMD E-M10 ii now £299, down from £449

Olympus Pen E-PL9 now £354, down from £504

And STYLO20 for any other kit (eg. any fab prime lenses like my fave 17mm f1/8) anytime at Olympus for 20% off.

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*This post is a paid partnership with Olympus

 

So, the Olympus Pen E-PL9 or OMD E-M10?

I’ve made a video too to help explain things!

The most important thing to understand is that the menu system is the same on each camera, so if you know how to navigate one you will be fine with the other! Also it’s worth noting that the inner workings of the cameras are essentially the same, both the Pen E-PL series and OMD E-M10s take great quality pictures! They really pack a punch for such a small package, and with a lovely prime lens you’re hard pushed to tell the difference from a DSLR camera.

Both models use similar images processors, producing same size high-resolution pictures and most importantly for editing on the go, have the Wifi functionality which let’s you import images straight onto your phone and also (life-changing if you need photographs of yourself for your content!) allows you to use your phone as remote where you can see yourself on screen. (See what I mean in my Olympus Pen For Blogging & Instagram post here.)

Buy Olympus OMD E-M10 ii here for £299 – down from £449 – with code STYLO150

What differs is that the Pen and OMD have slightly different software and hardware details, so I’m going to talk you through these:

• The OMD has a viewfinder, which the Pen doesn’t. The viewfinder is essential to some, although people are more and more comfortable with using the screen I’m finding. BUT the viewfinder is amazing when you’re shooting in sunny conditions when it’s too bright to use the screen. So this summer, away in Corsica and Portugal, I favoured the OMD for this reason.

• However, the Pen has a much higher flipout screen, so if you are a foodie type who likes to take ‘from above’ photos, the Pen screen means you can do this without having to stand on a chair or table, lol. The OMD screen only flips out a little. (see pic below)

• Size – the OMD is slightly heavier and chunkier, not much, but the built-in flash does mean I can’t slip it in some of my smaller bags, whereas the Pen I can.

• Buttons & dials – the OMD has more (which if you like assigning certain functions to things means you have more options!). The Pen still does all the same things, just in a more streamlined way.

• Design – entirely up to personal taste this one! Though the Pen design evolved from the original 1960s Pen camera and some feel is just more beautiful and retro looking than the OMD! I have to say I like them both now, but I only had eyes for Pen for the last few years lol!

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Buy Olympus Pen E-PL9 here for £354 – down from £504 – with code STYLO150

But if you’ve decided the Pen is for you, should you go for the latest model E-PL9 or last year’s E-PL8?

If you have decided that the Pen is for you, but don’t know whether to snap up the E-PL8 (currently at its lowest price with STYLO150) or to spend a bit more on the E-PL9 (also reduced tho!), have a read of the differences below. Overall, unless the flash, 4k video & triggering video recording remotely is an essential to you, I would definitely go for the E-PL8 as the price is unmissable! But here are the main differences, so you can decide…

• Flash – the E-PL8 doesn’t have a built in flash, the E-PL9 does.

• Video recording can be triggered remotely on the E-PL9, but not the E-PL8.

• The E-PL9 has the new AP mode which allows easy access to things like Double Exposure and HRD. The E-PL8 does do all these things, just deeper in the menu system.

• The E-PL9 has the latest Olympus image processor, so will produce slightly better quality images, but IMHO not noticeably so.

• The E-PL9 has a few new art filters to play with.

• The E-PL9 has a timer when using the screen flipped out for a selfie.

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Buy Olympus Pen E-PL8, £249 with code STYLO150

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The Olympus E-PL8 also comes in my favourite tan (You can buy here  – with code STYLO150)

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Or if you love the Limited Edition blue, then this comes in the E-PL9 model. (Buy Olympus Pen E-PL9 here for £354 with code STYLO150)

I hope this had been useful! And please do shout me any questions in the comments below or DM me on Instagram @stylonylon