Olympus announces the uber retro Pen E-PL8 Micro Four Thirds camera + lenses and a strobe

With Photokina coming it is no surprise that many announcements are reeling in. Olympus just Olympus announces the uber retro Pen E-PL8 Micro Four Thirds camera (pre-order here).

The PEN E-PL8, follows the Olympus line of retro cameras only doing it with more style. So this camera has quite a design dialog with the recently announced PEN-F. This leads me to think that Olympus is aiming to be a design and style oriented company. And specs may support this sentiment:

This  Micro Four Thirds has a small 16.1MP sensor. Now, don’t get me wrong, 16MP is probably enough for everything you need, but it is smaller than competition, and offers no advance over the previous PEN E-PL7 .  The PL8 also has the same 3-axis image stabilization and tilting LCD screen as the PL7.

The PEN E-PL7 will cost $549 (body only) or $649 (kitted with a 14-42mm lens)

Here is the list of specs for the camera:

• 16.1MP Live MOS Sensor
• TruePic VII Image Processor
• 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot 180° Flip Touchscreen
• Full HD Video Recording at 30 fps
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity
• 81-Area FAST AF with Small Target AF
• Up to 8.5 fps Shooting and ISO 25600
• 3-Axis In-Body VCM Image Stabilization
• Enhanced Selfie Modes and Controls

Three new lenses

Alongside the PEN E-PL8 Olymus are introducing three new lenses here is the list (going from most expensive to the cheapest one):

• 12-100mm f4 with image stabilization ($1,299)
• 25mm f1.2 prime ($1,199)
• 30mm f3.5 macro ($299)

 

A new strobe

Lastly, there is a new strobe coming: – FL-900R, interestingly, it doubles as an LED video light. (I think we will see more strobes going this way soon)

Here are the specs:

• Guide Number 190 High-Intensity Flash
• High-Speed Sequential Shooting
• Compact & Lightweight
• Dust & Splashproof Design
• Advanced Wireless Controls
• 100 LUX LED Video Light/Focus Assist Lamp
• 24-200mm Angle of Coverage (35mm equivalent)
• 14-20mm With the Built-In Wide Panel (35mm equivalent)
• Flash Emission Count: 160 w/Alkaline Battery, 200 w/NiMH Rechargeable Battery
• LED Duration Time: Approx 2.4 hours w/Alkaline Battery, 2.6 hours with NiMH Rechargeable Battery

The entire lot is expected to start shipping in October

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