Upgrade Guide

Olympus OM-D E-M1→Olympus PEN E-PL7

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Olympus

OM-D E-M1

£104 used

2013

→

Upgrade to

Olympus

PEN E-PL7

£105 used (+£0)

2014

⚖️

Situational

One clear hardware improvement over the OM-D E-M1. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.

What's new in the PEN E-PL7

Unchanged or similar

Suitability by genre

Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.

Full spec comparison

Spec	OM-D E-M1	PEN E-PL7
Price	£104 used	£105 used
Released	2013	2014	↑
Sensor	16.3MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS	16.1MP Four Thirds Live MOS
Resolution	16MP	16MP	↓
Video	Full HD 1080p/30	Full HD 1080p/30
Autofocus	Dual Fast AF: 37-point on-sensor phase detect + 81-area contrast AF, face and eye detection	Contrast-detect AF (FAST AF), 81 areas, face / eye detection
Stabilisation	5-axis in-body stabilisation, 4 stops (CIPA)	Sensor-shift in-body stabilisation
Burst Rate	10fps (6.5fps with continuous AF)	8fps	↓
Battery Life	~350 shots (CIPA)	~350 shots (CIPA)
Weight	497g (with battery)	357g (with battery)	↑
Weather Sealed	Yes	Not weather sealed	↓
Viewfinder	OLED EVF, 2.36M dots, 1.48x	None built in (optional VF-4)
Screen	3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots	3.0" tilting touchscreen (flips down 180°), 1.04M dots
Mount	Micro Four Thirds	Micro Four Thirds
Memory Cards	Single SD slot	Single SD slot

Compare side-by-side

See OM-D E-M1 and PEN E-PL7 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the PEN E-PL7 against your specific genres — not just specs.

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