Olympus PEN E-PL2 Digital Camera Review

Introduction

The Olympus E-PL2 is an update to the PEN E-PL1, released in 2009 as the company's latest entry into the Micro Four Thirds market. The upgrades on this new model are relatively minor: a wider ISO range, some minor design changes (including a port for a new PEN accessory), and a quieter focus mechanism in the new kit lens—designed be less obtrusive during video capture. Despite the paucity of upgrades, the E-PL2 remains a good package for a compact camera. As with the E-PL1, we were disappointed by the necessity to purchase an add-on viewfinder and by the comparatively noisy images. At the same time, both PENs have solid overall performance, are easy to use, and have a compact form factor that's easy to love.

Note: This review is a work in progress. Please check back for updates.

(01/26/11 - Added long exposure testing results.)