The E-PL7 is the first PEN-series camera to be announced since May 2013 and shares many features with the flagship E-P5 model unveiled at that time, along with the previous 'Lite' model, the E-PL6 (which didn't make it to the local market).

The Olympus PEN E-PL7 ($599.99 body only) sets itself apart from the crowd with a unique front-facing screen that flips down below the camera for selfies. That's a little gimmicky, but the PEN E-PL7 is just as serious a mirrorless camera as others in the company's PEN lineup.

Compact; Quick focus; 8.4fps burst rate; Micro Four Thirds lens system; In-body image stabilization; Tilting touch-screen display; Accessory port for optional EVF; Wi-Fi

Sometimes slow to start and shoot; No support for 60fps video; Lacks standard mic input; Lacks built-in flash; Single control dial

After having this camera for the last 6 months I am upgrading to the Olympus OMD e-m5 ii. I have been so impressed with the shots that my Olympus e-pl7 has done and I have converted at least 100 people around me with the absolute great pictures it takes so effortlessly.

Olympus E-PL7 Review - With a compact body and 16.1MP sensor, as well as a tilting LCD screen, the E-PL7 is targeted towards the 'selfie' generation who are looking to travel light.

Solid metal build; Touchscreen is certainly responsive; 16MP sensor delivers solid results

Small size means sacrifices have been made with usability; Tilting screen design is poor

Olympus has received lots of praise for its OM-D series of compact system cameras, such as the OM-D E-M10 , OM-D E-M5 and OM-D E-M1 , but its Pen series has been a little overlooked in recent times.

There are lots of things to praise and very little to criticise about the E-PL7. It's not short of competition, though, and the price is currently double that of the Samsung NX3000 .

The Olympus PEN E-PL7 is an entry-level compact system camera. Based on the Micro Four Thirds standard jointly developed by Olympus and Panasonic, it has a 16 Megapixel CMOS sensor and access to the broadest range of native lenses of any mirrorless system.

Forward facing 3:2 touch-screen; Self shot modes; Wifi with smartphone remote control; 3-axis in-body stabilisation

Poor quality kit lens judging from two samples; Screen can't flip forwards when tripod-mounted; Lack of touch buttons for changing selfie settings

Hardware is really good in Olympus as compare to previous models, improved LCDs, battery life and shutter shake makes it good deal.

I was looking for an upgrade for my Olympus Pen E-PL1. The E-PL7 fulfills my needs. My primary use for the camera is in a studio setup doing focus stacks of plants. It is indeed a great camera for that purpose: easy to use in the manual mode and easy to adjust exposure.

Replacing the E-PL6, the Olympus E-PL7 is a retro-styled mid-range 16MP Compact System Camera that sits below the O-MD E-M10 in the Olympus line-up. Boasting a slender, all-metal glossy body with a leather-style finish on the front, and a screen that flips 180° for shooting selfies, the camera is...