Olympus PEN E-PL1

We expect that, if the Micro Four Thirds format is going to achieve critical mass in the marketplace, it will be with cameras like the Olympus E-PL1 and Panasonic GF1. These two are intriguing step-up choices for point-and-shooters who want a larger sensor, faster performance and interchangeable lens flexibility, but without the bulk of a conventional SLR. Previous Micro Four Thirds entries have lacked key features expected by this audience (the pop-up-flashless E-P1 and E-P2), or failed to offer portability benefits over similarly priced SLRs (the Panasonic GH1).

The E-PL1 still involves a number of trade-offs for potential buyers. Autofocus is not as fast as a digital SLR or high-quality point and shoot, a fact that may come as an unpleasant surprise to Little League Moms and Dads. Image quality is quite good in most respects, particularly when it comes to resolution, and lingering image noise problems will probably be less of an issue than tack-sharp photos for those who aren’t inclined to crop radically, blow up to enormous size or Photoshop intensively. While the E-PL1 is still big compared to a point-and-shoot, it’s far more portable than a conventional SLR, and we’re still impressed with the practicality and performance of Olympus’ space-saving zoom lens design.

We do like to shoot with the camera at eye level, a capability missing from the default configuration, and pricey with the optional $280 EVF (which at least justifies the price to some extent by working very well). We also miss having a control dial for making fast adjustments to exposure compensation, shutter speed and aperture, but point-and-shoot upgraders may not miss what they’re not used to having.

We’d like to see more in-camera editing oomph in a consumer-oriented camera, but the Art Filter effects are kind of fun, there are lots of available scene modes and the scene-recognition-based intelligent auto shooting mode does a nice job.

All in all, we see the E-PL1 as an attractive step-up for point-and-shooters, though the relatively slow autofocus, lack of affordable eye-level shooting and limited lens compatibility makes it less appealing for SLR shooters looking to lighten their load.

Performance

The image noise problems we associated with small Micro Four Thirds sensors are still apparent, thought we give Olympus props for improving its high ISO noise reduction processing; shots taken with the E-PL1 with NR cranked up lose a lot less detail than our E-P1 samples did. The camera’s strongest suit is image sharpness, which is exceptionally strong. The white balance system didn’t adjust well to changing lighting conditions, and the limited dynamic range make high-contrast scenes problematic. Burst rate shooting delivers the 3 shots per second Olympus promises, so points for truth in advertising if not for blistering speed. As for long exposure, image noise in low light knocks the score down a peg (particularly compared to standard SLRs).

Video

There are definitely better video-capable DSLRs out there than the Olympus E-PL1, but the camera did a pretty good job in our testing for a model that tops out with a 1280 × 720 video resolution. The fact that Olympus beefed up the manual control features in the camera’s video mode is also a major plus. Overall, the E-PL1 is a darn good choice if you’re looking to experiment with a video mode on a Micro Four Thirds camera.

Hardware

The E-PL1 lacks the retro-futuristic all-metal pizzazz of the original E-P1, but it’s still a good-looking, well constructed camera, and the move to a plastic body means a welcome price savings. The E-PL1 is the first of the PEN cameras with a pop-up flash, a practical and useful addition with nice,even coverage. The same accessory slot can also be used to attach an external stereo mic, an important consideration if you’re going to shoot much video, since our reviewer was quite unhappy with the audio quality from the built-in mic. The LCD is an ordinary-looking 2.7-inch 230,000-dot display, but at least it stands up well to shooting on bright days.

Controls

The innovative feature here is the live guide component of the iAuto shooting mode. The live guide remains unobtrusively in the background for full-automation simplicity but, for those who want a bit more control, an overlay on the right side of the screen offers plain English options to adjust color, background sharpness, motion blur, etc. With the results of most adjustments previewed on screen as they’re made, it’s a successful attempt to add a layer of user control without slowing down point-and-shoot responsiveness. Beyond this, the controls are standard, with an ISO range of 100-3200, three-stop exposure bracketing, and your basic three-shots-per-second full-res burst mode.

Sample Photos

In the following sample images, clicking on the larger image will download the full resolution original. Each photo is accompanied by four actual-size crops.

Landscape Sample
				Focal length: 14mm Aperture: f/13 Shutter: 1/250 ISO: 400 This local lake in Brighwaters, NY was shot in aperture priority mode using the natural picture mode, with digital ESP metering (i.e., full-frame). Sharpness is very good from edge to edge and corner to corner, with just a bit of chromatic aberration visible in the corner branches. The sky has a nice smooth gradation, with a well-saturated color that looks natural.

Fowl Sample
				Focal length: 33mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter: 1/500 ISO: 400 Shot in program mode, using the vivid picture mode to give some extra pop to the duck’s orange bill and feet. The level of detail is striking in the eye, the textured webbed foot and the feathers, though we’ve blown out some detail in the brightest sections of the plumage.

	Pop Art
	Soft focus
	Gentle Sepia
	Diorama
	Grainy Film
	Pin Hole

Building Sample
				Focal length: 29mm Aperture: f/11 Shutter: 1/60 ISO: 200 This building in Somerville, MA has been converted from a Masonic Lodge into an ornately decorated ‘temple of art’ (you’ll find information about the project here). We shot it in vivid mode on an overcast day to bring up some of the brilliant colors, though an additional bump in Photoshop is probably appropriate. The textures are nicely captured, and the noise level low at ISO 200, though the top corner gets a bit soft, with some visible chromatic aberration.

Close-up Sample
				Focal length: 27mm Aperture: f/14 Shutter: 1/50 ISO: 400 We shot this Japanese mask on a tripod using aperture priority mode with center-weighted metering and custom white balance, with the natural picture mode setting. The colors have a nice deep hue without resorting to pumping up the saturation, and the textured surfaces maintain detail except for the far right corner, which may be a result of focal depth depth on the 3D surface.

Noise Reduction Example
				Focal length: 42mm Aperture: f/10 Shutter: 0.77 sec ISO: 3200 Shot on a tripod using the natural picture mode with a custom white balance, in aperture priority mode using center-weighted metering. We ran through the four noise reduction settings at ISO 3200 and had a welcome surprise. While raising noise reduction levels does cost us some detail, it’s nowhere near as drastic as we found when testing the Olympus E-P1 under similar circumstances (shown here).
				Noise Reduction Off

Olympus PEN E-PL1 Specs
Type	Compact SLR / System
Focal Length Minimum	14.0 mm
Focal Length Maximum	42.0 mm
Still Pixel Count (gross)	13.1 megapixels
Still Pixel Count (effective)	12.3 megapixels
Sensor Size	Micro Four Thirds
Sensor Type - New	CMOS
Aspect Ratios	4:3
Frame Rate(s)	30p
Original Price	599.99 $
Height	72.136 mm
Width	114.554 mm
Depth	41.402 mm
Weight	295.97 g
Model Colors	black, blue, champagne
Display Type	LCD
Display Size	2.7 in.
Display Resolution	230000 pixels
Viewfinder Type	none
Media New	SD/SDHC
Connectivity Options	USB, A/V, miniHDMI, hot accessory shoe, accessory port
Battery Type	removable lithium-ion
Battery Model Number	PS-BLS1
Mirror Technology (Interchangeable Lens)	Mirrorless
Waterproof	No
Manual Controls	aperture priority mode, shutter priority mode, full manual exposure, custom white balance, ISO control
ISO Options	100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Minimum ISO	100
Maximum ISO	3200

Olympus PEN E-PL1 Scores
Rating	Score	Weighting
Color Score	14.55	9.0
Color Modes Score	4.0	1.0
Long Exposure Score	7.3	4.0
Noise Score	5.62	9.0
ISO Options Score	5.5	1.5
Sharpness Score	17.44	6.0
Chromatic Aberration Score	7.99	3.0
Picture Options Score	8.6	0.5
Dynamic Range Score	4.15	6.0
Stabilization Score	6.3	5.0
Auto White Balance Score	8.46	4.0
Custom White Balance Score	3.04	2.0
White Balance Features Score	9.5	0.5
Playback Mode Score	11.25	1.5
In-Camera Editing Score	9.25	0.5
Software Score	4.0	0.5
Direct Print Features Score	4.0	0.5
Sensor Score	2.0	1.0
Viewfinder Score	0.0	1.5
LCD Score	4.65	2.5
Flash Score	7.75	1.0
Lens Mount Score	7.75	1.5
Battery Score	6.0	1.0
Memory Score	3.0	1.0
Connectivity Score	4.5	1.0
Shooting Modes Scores	13.0	1.0
Live View Score	3.75	2.0
Scene Modes Score	8.0	0.5
Picture Effects Score	6.0	0.5
Focus Score	16.0	1.5
Exposure Score	0.0	1.0
DOF Preview Score	1.0	0.5
Metering Score	7.0	1.0
Shutter Speed Score	9.0	1.0
Self-Timer Score	2.5	1.0
Handling Score	8.0	2.5
Controls Score	8.25	2.5
Menu Score	7.0	2.0
Manual Score	4.0	1.0
Shot to Shot Score	3.07	3.0
Drive and Burst Modes Score	5.5	1.0
Video Color Score	5.74	1.25
Video Sharpness Score	8.89	1.25
Video Motion Score	6.75	0.63
Video Noise Score	12.9	0.63
Video Controls Score	6.4	1.2
Video Low Light Sensitivity Score	0.55	0.95
Video Low Light Color Score	6.34	0.78
Video Low Light Noise Score	12.57	0.78
Video Compression Score	6.0	0.95
Video Audio Score	2.25	0.3
Video Handling Score	5.75	0.73
Total:	737