Olympus PEN E-PL8 Black 2016

★★★★☆ 4.2 (79)

The 16MP Live MOS sensor and 3-axis in-body stabilization deliver sharper handheld shots, while the 180-degree downward flip touchscreen enables a dedicated selfie mode for both stills and video. Its retro-styled, 499g body combines portability with a tactile build quality that stands out in the entry-level mirrorless segment. This camera is best for vloggers and beginners who prioritize easy self-recording and sharing over 4K video or weather-sealed durability.

Type mirrorless
Sensor 16MP micro-four-thirds
AF Points 81 pts
Burst 8.5 fps
Video 1080p
IBIS Yes
Weight 499 g
Olympus PEN E-PL8 Black 2016 camera
38 Overall Score
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Snapshot

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Strong display (84th percentile) 84th
  • Strong stabilization (73th percentile) 73th
  • Strong af (72th percentile) 72th
  • Strong build (65th percentile) 65th

Cons

  • Below average sensor (10th percentile)
  • Below average video (21th percentile)
  • Below average user sentiment (27th percentile)

What owners think

How owner sentiment changed over time

Exclusive

Based on when customers actually wrote their reviews — so you can see whether early praise held up.

Owner sentiment has improved over time
78/100Our AI sentiment readlow confidence · 9 sources · May 2026
1★2★3★4★5★Q4 '16: 5.0★ · 1 reviewQ1 '17: 1.0★ · 1 reviewQ2 '17: 5.0★ · 1 reviewQ3 '17: 4.5★ · 2 reviewsQ1 '18: 4.5★ · 2 reviewsQ1 '20: 4.7★ · 3 reviewsQ2 '20: 4.5★ · 2 reviewsQ3 '20: 5.0★ · 4 reviewsQ4 '20: 5.0★ · 1 reviewQ1 '22: 1.0★ · 1 reviewQ2 '25: 5.0★ · 1 review11122324111Q4 '16Q1 '17Q2 '17Q3 '17Q1 '18Q1 '20Q2 '20Q3 '20Q4 '20Q1 '22Q2 '25
Avg ratingHappy (4-5★)Unhappy (1-2★)Bar height = number of reviews

Based on 19 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.

The proof

Performance

Performance Percentiles

AF 71.9
EVF 36.2
Build 65.2
Burst 60.2
Video 20.7
Sensor 9.7
Battery 44.9
Display 83.7
User Sentiment 26.8
Connectivity 49.4
Stabilization 72.7

Specifications

Full Specifications

Sensor

Type MOS
Size micro-four-thirds
Megapixels 16 MP
ISO Range 100
Processor TruePic VII

Autofocus

AF Points 81

Shooting

Burst (Mechanical) 8.5

Video

Max Resolution 1080p

Display & EVF

Screen Size 3"
Touchscreen Yes
Articulating Yes

Build

Weight 0.5 kg / 1.1 lbs

Connectivity

Wi-Fi Yes

vs Competition

Spec Olympus PEN E-PL8 Canon EOS R6 Mark III R6 Mark III Sony a7 a7 V Fujifilm X-H2 X-H2 Panasonic Lumix S S5IIX Nikon Z5 II Z5 II
Type mirrorless mirrorless mirrorless mirrorless mirrorless mirrorless
Sensor 16MP micro-four-thirds 32.5MP full-frame 33MP full-frame 40.2MP aps-c 24.2MP full-frame 24.5MP full-frame
AF Points 81 1053 759 425 779 273
Burst FPS 8.5 40 30 20 30 30
Video 1080p 6K @120fps 4K @120fps 8K @60fps 6K @60fps 4K @60fps
IBIS true true true true true true
Weather Sealed false true true true true true
Weight (g) 499 609 610 579 658 620
Compare Compare Compare Compare Compare
Product AfEvfBuildBurstVideoSensorBatteryDisplayUser SentimentConnectivityStabilization
Olympus PEN E-PL8 71.936.265.260.220.79.744.983.726.849.472.7
Canon EOS R6 Mark III R6 Mark III Compare 98.587.894.792.889.458.696.598.993.493.499.5
Sony a7 a7 V Compare 95.788.694.890.689.459.896.699.493.493.496.1
Fujifilm X-H2 X-H2 Compare 88.195.689.485.195.497.496.983.783.693.493.6
Panasonic Lumix S S5IIX Compare 97.388.396.790.693.149.190.383.783.693.484.7
Nikon Z5 II Z5 II Compare 82.689.495.488.284.753.790.783.793.493.484.7

Price

Value & Pricing

From CA$900 1 offers across 1 retailers
Amazon.ca 1 offers From CA$900
CA$900

Usage Scores

Overall (37.9)Video (37.8)Travel (37.1)Youtube (42.2)Beginner (42.8)Vlogging (50.7)Streaming (40.9)Photography (39.7)Wedding Events (32.2)Sports Wildlife (39.1)Product Photography (35.3)

A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.

Other Configurations1

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