Olympus E-P1
July 6, 2009 by Adam
Filed under Digital Cameras, Featured Articles
About E-P1
The E-P1 is Olympus first Micro Four Thirds camera (the second Micro Four Thirds camera on the market, Panasonic was first). In short it features a APS-C (DSLR) image sensor (crop factor 2x compared to full frame or 35 mm equivalent) making it a large sensor mid-size compact camera. There are several benefits to having a large sensor but in the end it all comes down to the image quality, but a larger sensor gives the photographer better possibilities to manage the depth of field and significantly improves high ISO shots. The camera is packed in a stylish retro design that flirts with Olympus PEN camera legacy.
Specifications
Screen size: 17.3 mm (H) x 13.0 mm (V)
Lens mount: Micro Four Thirds Mount
Total no. of pixels: Approx. 13.1 million pixels
Aspect ratio: 1.33 (4:3)
Filter array: Primary color filter (RGB)
LPF: Fixed type
IR cut filter: Hybrid type
Dust reduction: Supersonic Wave Filter (dust reduction system for image sensor)
More at: Olympus
Reviews
“Obviously some of the detracting factors here should give pause before you put down your $799 for the basic kit, but you should know that there are also a lot of really outstanding features and impressive performance packed into this small and extremely attractive package. The E-P1 would be an excellent pick for anyone getting serious about photography who wants something easy to use, but still powerful enough to take really striking pictures and video. And for the gadget lovers out there… well, let’s just say our wallets might be getting about $800 lighter pretty soon.” – Engadget.com
“That said; I’m of the opinion that anyone in the market for a new camera should look at the E-P1. If I were to make the choice between a mid-range DSLR or the E-P1, I’d pick the E-P1. Having the features and quality of a large camera in a package this compact (and pretty) really is a treat.” – Gadling.com
“DP Review, Previews the E-P1. -
A must have for style hounds and those seeking unbeatable performance without the weight and clumsiness of traditional D-SLRs, the Olympus Pen E-P1 is available in two stylish options: silver or white. The new model and its two accompanying Micro Four Thirds lenses will hit stores in July 2009.” – DP Review.com
Video Reviews
Images Taken With Olympus E-P1
I have been playing around around with my new favorite toy now for a few weeks and I’m amazed. Not only does this thing look great, it’s in a much compacter size then I would have believed before I bought it. I had the Olympus E-420 before and felt like it wasn’t compact enough to be used as a second camera. Now with the e-p1 I’m not sure if I really need my canon rebel xsi anymore. I guess you all have looked at just how good images you can take with this camera so there is no need to talk about that.
There are two issues at this time and thats the autofocus speed which is good enough for general photography but it’s not fast enough for really fast moving objects, such as kids, pets, sports.. etc. The second thing is the current lack of lens choices but I’m hoping Pan/Leica will fix that very shortly. Okey, the low light performance isn’t amazing and the noise levels are slightly higher du to the smaller sensor then a regular APS-C camera but it’s better then my old e-420 by far.
If you are thinking of an entry DSLR (APS-C size) go into a store and check out the size of this and I think you might reconsider.