Olympus PEN E-P1 Summary

12 Megapixels12 MegapixelsHigh ISO: ISO 6400 or more is available at full-resolution.High ISO: ISO 6400 or more is available at full-resolution.Stabilization: Compensates for tiny involuntary movements of the camera.Stabilization: Compensates for tiny involuntary movements of the camera.Level: Measures camera tilt and helps to keep the horizon level.Level: Measures camera tilt and helps to keep the horizon level.Continuous DriveContinuous Drive720p HD Video: 1280 x 720 resolution or more but less than 1920 x 1080.720p HD Video: 1280 x 720 resolution or more but less than 1920 x 1080.Manual Controls: Both fully-manual (M) and semi-automatic modes (T and V).Manual Controls: Both fully-manual (M) and semi-automatic modes (T and V).Custom White-Balance: Specifies exactly what should be white to the camera.Custom White-Balance: Specifies exactly what should be white to the camera.Action Photography: Shutter speeds of 1/1500 or more.Action Photography: Shutter speeds of 1/1500 or more.Night Photography: Reaches shutter-speeds longer than 4 seconds.Night Photography: Reaches shutter-speeds longer than 4 seconds.Hotshoe: Allows external flash units to be attached.Hotshoe: Allows external flash units to be attached.Spot MeteringSpot MeteringAccepts Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) and SD memory.Accepts Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) and SD memory.Neocamera detailed reviewNeocamera detailed reviewDiscontinued: No longer produced by the manufacturer. May still be in stock or found used.Discontinued: No longer produced by the manufacturer. May still be in stock or found used.

Olympus PEN E-P1 Assessment

The Olympus E-P1 is one of the rare digital cameras to support interchangeable lenses and not be a DSLR. The goal of this design is to give the flexibility of changing lenses with the portability of a compact camera and still produce high-quality photographs. The Panasonic GF1 which was recently reviewed falls into this category too.

The final rating of this camera therefore depends greatly on whether it is being compared to a compact camera or against a DSLR. The differences between this one and similar models boil down to handling as they all currently share the same sensor and lens mount. So this is either the best performing compact camera ever, a good DSLR or an average (by default) interchangeable lens camera:

Category Rating
Large Fixed-Lens Camera ExcellentExcellent
Interchangeable Lens Camera AverageAverage
DSLR GoodGood


For the final rating, the E-P1 was put in the large digital camera category because it is not a DSLR but when we take into account the size of the lens, even the smallest, it does form a rather sizable camera. Anecdotally, the reason the rating would be higher in the DSLR category is because the rating system considers performance of all DSLRs which have been around for much longer.

There are certainly a few things that will be changed as the interchangeable lens camera market picks up. It is about rethinking what the camera can do when there is no reflex viewfinder to accommodate. The main usability draw-back of the Olympus EP-1 is the lack of a built-in viewfinder which makes it harder to steady the camera and see subjects in bright light. There exits a viewfinder add-on that is matched with a 17mm lens to address this problem but it only works with that one lens. Even using the 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 at 17mm is not an option because the lens barrel is long enough to obstruct the view.

The bottom line is that the EP-1 outperforms fixed-lens cameras in most regards and by a fair margin when it comes to image quality. Speed of operation is a mixed bag with certain good numbers but also below average performance in critical areas such as auto-focus speed.

In short, it can produce high-quality images for its size but this is not a camera to recommend for any form of action.

Compared to a DSLR, things are different because of the Olympus E-P1's smaller sensor which shows a bit more noise and less dynamic range than modern DSLRs. The proposition though is that the E-P1 can be taken to more places and is much more discrete than a DSLR.

Neocamera detailed reviewNeocamera detailed review Read the full Olympus E-P1 review here.

PROS CONS
Very good image quality, just below average for a DSLR Reduced dynamic range compared to a DSLR, causes highlight clipping
One of the smallest interchangeable lens digital cameras Over-sensitive lower-rear control dial
Nicely saturated colors Slow autofocus system
Quite good metering Not exposure priority
Good dynamic range Long continuous drive display lag
Above average automatic white-balance No exposure display while showing digital level
Good built-in stabilization Awkward menu system
2-Axis Digital Level Poor LCD visibility
Dual control dials No built-in flash
Excellent build quality Short battery-life
Tripod mount not centered
ExcellentExcellent Excellent

Olympus PEN E-P1 Related Information

Sister Models
Olympus Evolt E-620
Olympus Evolt E-620
- DSLR version, ISO 3200 Max, Built-in flash, Compact Flash & xD, No movie mode
Olympus PEN E-P1
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By Neocamera on 2009-12-07

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Olympus E-P1 Highlights

Olympus PEN E-P1
Mirrorless digital camera

Sensor-Size: 17 x 13mm

Four-Thirds Sensor

Actual size when viewed at 100 DPI

12 Megapixels MirrorlessISO 100-6400
Micro Four-Thirds Mount
2X FLM
Shutter 1/4000-60s
2-Axis Built-in StabilizationFull manual controls, including Manual Focus
2 Axis Digital LevelCustom white-balance with 2 axis fine-tuning
Built-in Dust ReductionSpot-Metering
3 FPS Drive, 12 ImagesHot-Shoe
1280x720 @ 30 FPS Video RecordingLithium-Ion Battery
3" LCD 230K PixelsSecure Digital High Capacity
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