Whether you like it or not, the selfie movement is here to stay. Now Olympus wants to upgrade your selfie experience with the Pen E-PL7 compact mirrorless camera, selling for $600, body only, or $700 with 3X zoom lens.
The E-PL7 is a portable interchangeable lens camera replacing the older E-PL5 and features a new downward-flipping touch-enabled 3-inch LCD. This means you can take selfies using a real camera without having arms 10 feet long. Selfie mode on the E-PL7 can take photos with a single touch, and even gives you the ability to customize a timer so you can capture your best (or worst) reactions with ease. Olympus has also added built-in Wi-Fi that connects to the newly updated Olympus Image Share app so you can download and edit photos without needing to sit down at your computer.
MORE: How to Take a Great Selfie
Just don't let the whimsical nature of the E-PL7 fool you. Olympus has incorporated premium features from its high-end OM-D line into the E-PL7 like a 16-megapixel sensor, 3-axis image stabilization and compatibility with all of its Micro Four Thirds lenses. The E-PL7 also has what Olympus calls its FAST AF autofocus system with 81-points of focus (however, this is using contrast-detection technology, rather than the faster phase-detection in higher-end cameras). Sequential shooting up to 8 fps is faster than that of most DSLRs. The E-PL7 will be available in two colors, black and silver, and as part of a kit with an M.Zuiko 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 lens for $700.
Instagram junkies need not feel left out either because the Pen E-PL7 includes two "Vintage" art filters and partial color selection, so you can highlight the deep red of a rose while the background fades to black and white. Even videos get the retro treatment with an "Old Film Effect" that adds the scratches and dust particles of days gone by.
MORE: Pentax K-S1 is an DSLR with Disco Lights
The E-PL7 looks to offer greater flexibility than competition from other similarly priced cameras like $450 Samsung NX mini (review here), the newly announced $600 Fujifilm X30, and more expensive $800 Sony RX100 III (review here). Both the Samsung and Sony feature flip-down LCDs, but only the Samsung offers the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, as the Fujiflm X30 and Sony RX100 are limited to a fixed lens setup.
Check back with Tom's Guide for more camera announcements from Photokina 2014 starting September 16.
Sam Rutherford is a Staff Writer at Tom’s Guide. Follow him @SamRutherford on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @Tom’s Guide on Facebook and Google+
