Field Review: Olympus PEN E-PL1

Olympus E-PL1 with Leather Case
Olympus E-PL1 with Leather Case

Since the release of the New Generation Interchangeable Lens Cameras, whenever people ask me what’s a good SLR to buy, I always suggest the alternative system like the Olympus PEN. For one it’s lighter but still has the DSLR image quality. It’s also less daunting than the advance digital SLRs on the market for those moving from compact point and shoot. The Olympus PEN E-PL1 is the third Micro Four Thirds PEN camera from Olympus introduced last March. It hopes to appeal to consumers with its low price tag and user-friendly interface. I’ve been using the Olympus E-PL1 for almost 6 months now and here’s a somewhat quick review of the camera.

The Olympus E-PL1 Double Zoom Kit Lens
The Olympus E-PL1 Double Zoom Kit Lens
MMF-2 Adapter
MMF-2 Adapter

The Olympus E-PL1 Kits

In the Philippines they are selling the Double Zoom Kit Lens with the 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 and the classic four thirds 40-150mm f4-5.6 including the MMF-2 adapter. A kit lens with the 14-42mm only can also be bought. The prices have significantly dropped since its local release. From the launch price of P39,995 for 14-42mm kit (P46,995 of the double zoom kit), it is now down to P33000 for the single kit and P36000 for the double zoom kit. You can even get it for less on some sources.

If you’re an existing four thirds user, the double zoom kit would be economical since it already has the MMF-2 Four Thirds Adapter to make use of the older lenses. It’s a cheaper buy than buying it separately. The regular Four Third lenses can also autofocus but not as fast as the regular M.Zuikos for the Micro Four Thirds.

The Olympus E-PL1 on hand
The Olympus E-PL1 on hand

Impressions

By this time, there are already a number of reviews on the web about the Olympus E-PL1 (For a more technical and pixel-peeping look, checkout DPReview or Imaging Resources). For this one I’ll outline the major things I liked and things to improve on about the E-PL1 during my 6 months of use.

ISO 1600, IS 1, 1/30sec, f3.5
ISO 1600, IS 1, 1/30sec, f3.5

What I liked

Improved ISO and Low Light Performance. I felt more confident using ISO 1600 on this camera on dim situations. On the E-3 I know I would have to deal with banding but here, the noise is well controlled.

Image Stabilization. Claims a 3-stop advantage on stabilization. I find myself getting tack sharp images even if my shutter speed is as low as 1/8sec-1/20sec. It also applies to every lens attached.

Taipa Village
Taipa Village (ISO 800, 14mm, handheld, f 3.5, 1/20sec)
Built-in Flash
Built-in Flash

Built-in Pop-up Flash. This is the first PEN to have a built-in Pop-up Flash. It’s not as strong but is effective on occasion when it is needed. The good thing about the flash is that I can tilt it a bit farther back to bounce the flash. It is also capable of controlling 3 wireless flash units if you’re into strobes and lighting.

Hi-Resolution Viewfinder. Coming from an SLR shooter, I still have the instinct to raise the camera to my eye-level even without the viewfinder. I thought the VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder (which is sold separately) is big and bright and has a 1.4 million dot hi-resolution screen, very useful on bright situations. For me, this is a must accessory if you’re buying a PEN Camera unless you’re used to a compact-style camera shooting. I also liked the idea that I can detach it if I want to shoot incognito.

E-PL1 with VF-2 Viewfider
E-PL1 with VF-2 Viewfider, an essential accessory for me
VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder
VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder

HD Video Shooting. Shooting moving images gave me an opportunity to expand my creative endeavors to moving images. I thought the video quality when shooting in good light was above average, but it suffers terribly on low-light video shooting. I like the direct video button as I can record instantly whichever mode I am but it’s also a hassle that I accidentally press it at times. The Audio is only Mono unlike the E-P1/2 models in Stereo. It has a 7 minute limit and the Motion JPG AVI files are big but it’s easy to work on. The quality and detail are real good. (Check out my VIMEO account for samples).

Lake Sebu Morning
Olympus E-PL1 has impressive JPGs out-of-the-camera

Very Good Image Quality. It’s hard not to be blown away by the details from its JPG straight out of the camera. While I shoot RAW+JPG so I can correct a few distortion and white balance on some occasions, I find there’s little to tweak when shooting with E-PL1. The metering seems to have improved as well. Before, I always have to set -.03 EV on my Olympus Cameras now it seems to handle most situations on 0 EV as long as I stay on ISO 200 where the maximum dynamic range seems to be at home.

E-PL1 Rear
Olympus E-PL1 only have button control but is highly customizable

Things that could be better

Push Button Controls. I missed the two control dials on the Olympus E-P1. I thought it was a lot easier and faster to use than pushing a few buttons. But if you’re coming from a compact camera, this won’t be a problem. For me I just got used to it. Besides, I can customize the controls to my style of shooting.

1/2000th Max Shutter Speed. This could be limiting especially if I had a fast lens attached on a bright day. Trying to get a good shallow depth of field is a challenge. This isn’t a deal breaker as I only encounter this problem about 5-10% of my shooting. Best remedy? Get a Polarizer or Neutral Density filter.

No Sensor Orientation. I know it may not be a big deal to some but it does save a lot of time when processing images, I don’t have to rotate each image on their intended orientation.

Not so Speedy. While the autofocus and burst speed is okay for average use, it won’t be replacing my E-3 yet when I really need the speed. But I did learn how to handle the idiosyncrasies of its speed with good anticipation and timing.

Verdict:

I’ve been using the Olympus PEN since it first came out. The E-PL1 was well thought out. Though I could see Olympus cut some corners here and there it’s still a well rounded camera that is really fun to use with surprisingly good image quality. I have used it even on my commercial work, from brochures to magazine publications and found it delivered excellently on print. The camera also has idiosyncrasies but once you know them, it’s a lot easier to adjust for shooting.

I’d highly recommend this camera for those

  • Moving up from Compact Point and Shoot
  • Looking for a DSLR Image Quality camera on a small package
  • Looking for a Light Travel Camera
  • Looking for a secondary compact camera for a DSLR user

I wouldn’t recommend this for

  • People used to control dials on DSLR
  • Sports shooters

Sample Image Gallery

The Olympus PEN E-PL1 is sold locally in the Philippines on both Single Kit Lens (P33,000) or Double Zoom Kit (P36000) at Camera Haus, TechHead, Digital Walker Zoom, and PixelPro


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