Olympus PEN E-PL7

The PEN E-PL7 is a compact mirrorless camera from 2014. It measures 115 x 67 x 38 mm and weighs 357 g, so it rides easily in a small bag.

There is no viewfinder. You frame every shot on the 3-inch flip-out touchscreen, which keeps the body slim but makes this a screen-first camera. Photographers who prefer an eye-level view should weigh that before buying.

Wi-Fi is built in for wireless connection, and the Micro 4/3 mount takes interchangeable lenses. It suits everyday and travel photography where small size and light weight matter more than headline specifications.

A 16.1-megapixel Micro Four Thirds CMOS sensor works with the TruePic VII processor. That resolution suits everyday prints and online sharing. The Micro 4/3 mount accepts interchangeable lenses, keeping options open for different subjects.

The Optics score of 57 is modest, and the camera sits around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics. In everyday terms, it is built for typical photography rather than headline resolution or speed.

In-body stabilisation is the most useful feature here. Because the stabilisation lives in the body rather than the lens, it reduces camera shake with every lens you mount. That makes handheld work in dim interiors or late in the day more practical, though it cannot stop a moving subject.

Burst shooting reaches 8 fps at most, its top rated speed. The shutter speed limit is 1/4000 s, and the ISO range runs from 200 to 25600 for dimmer light.

Video recording tops out at Full HD resolution, and the highest frame rate available is 30 fps. That covers family clips and web content. The Video score of 57 is modest, which matches these everyday capabilities.

Recording is offered in MOV or AVI file formats, so there is a choice of container for your clips.

A timelapse function is built in, so you can shoot interval sequences without buying an external controller. It pairs nicely with the flip-out touchscreen, which lets you set up a framing and check it without crouching behind the camera.

For stills photographers who want occasional motion, this is enough. Anyone planning video as a main output will reach the Full HD ceiling quickly.

A 3-inch LCD touchscreen carries the shooting experience, with about 1,040,000 dots making focus checks and menus easy to read. Touch input also gives you a quick way to change settings once you learn where things sit.

The screen flips out, which helps at waist level, low to the ground, or when you want yourself in the frame. Live view keeps the preview close to what the sensor records.

Wi-Fi is built in for wireless connection. There is no Bluetooth and no built-in GPS.

No flash is built in; an external flash unit provides light when you need one. The body has no weather sealing either, so keep it out of rain and spray. The Features score of 57 is modest: the daily essentials are present, the extras are not.

A single slot takes SD, SDHC and SDXC cards. With no second slot, spare cards are the practical answer for longer shoots.

The BLS-50 battery is rated at 350 shots, a guide rather than a promise for every situation. A full day of enthusiastic shooting will call for a charged spare.

Charging happens outside the camera, because USB charging is not supported. You cannot top the battery up from a power bank between locations, so the dedicated charger has to travel with you.

These points are behind a Storage & Battery score of 21, assessed as limited. None of them stops the camera working; they simply ask for a little more planning before a shoot.