Testseek.co.uk have collected 113 expert reviews of the Olympus Pen E-P1 and the average rating is 79%. Scroll down and see all reviews for Olympus Pen E-P1.
July 2009
(79%)
113 Reviews
Average score from experts who have reviewed this product.
Users
-
0 Reviews
Average score from owners of the product.
790100113
The editors liked
EXCELLENT image quality - low noise
Excellent colour
Detail
Exposure
Very sharp results from the kit lens
Built in sensor shift image stabilisation
Built in dust reduction
Good 3" screen works well outdoors
Worlds most compact "DSLR" - available w...
Beautiful retro look
Compact
Effective scroll
Nice build and design
Glorious performance
Great features
Rock solid build
Fun effects filters as found on Olympus E-series DSLRs
Image quality on a par with SLR cameras
Camera set up allows spur-of-the-moment shooting from the hip
Its retro look
Compact size
HD recording capabilities
Stunning looks. Interchangeable lens. Metal body
Fun effects filters
Dimensions mean it can be used like a glorified snapshot model
Looks great
Wellmade
Interchangeable lenses
Solid design
Gorgeous looks
That the Olympus E-P1 is something different becomes apparent as soon as you take it out the box
Its sexy retro styling a throw-back to the 70s. The Micro Four Thirds sensor on the inside means that the E-P1 essentially has the same basic features as a f...
Striking design
Excellent build quality
Impressive photo quality
Support for interchangeable lenses
Image quality
Handling
Super control panel
Comprehensive
Creative feature set
Good dust reduction system
Retro styling
Build
Lenses
The editors didn't like
No flash - dedicated flash is expensive (£159 in the UK
$99 in the US)
Lens noise on videos when AF or Manual Focus is used.
Menu system(s) can get confusing without reference to the manual
The lowest you can set Auto ISO to is ISO200 - does this ne...
Screen resolution
No viewfinder / optional viewfinder imprecise
Illogical menus
Ineffective stabilization
Insufficient battery life
Awkward controls
More lenses needed
Lens build is a bit plasticky and cheap
Pricey for anyone looking to invest in a whole new system as the same outlay would buy a starter DSLR and a couple of lenses
No built in optical viewfinder or flash – but both available if paying more
Pricy
Even if it is worth it
Autofocus takes a while to work
Some muddled menu options
No viewfinder. Expensive. Slow
No optical viewfinder or flash provided
Plus the same outlay would buy an entry level DSLR and a couple of lenses – albeit one without HD video
Expensive
Image quality not up there with real DSLRs
No flash or optical viewfinder
There's no built-in flash and what about an optical viewfinder
Eh Olympus? You have to rely on the LED display
Which isn't bad by any stretch
But it can be tricky in bright conditions. The only other gripe is the price. £700 for an "inbetw...
Very good image quality; nice design and small size; compatible with Micro Four Thirds lenses.
Slow auto focus; no built-in flash; ISO ratings are a little fast.
As a second camera for an SLR shooter, or as an advanced camera for the photographer who wants more than a point-and-shoot, but really needs the smallest camera possible, the E-P1 is a very good choice. Auto-focus is a little slow for some application...
Finally Olympus released their first micro-four-thirds digital camera styled in the retro design of the classic Olympus PEN - a highly successful rangefinder camera back in the 60s. Obviously they feel that the time is about right for such dwarfish, ...
Abstract: The Olympus PEN E-P1 Micro Four-Thirds camera is a beautiful piece of hardware and something photo geeks can’t help but want. After all, it has lots of history behind it, it’s one of the best looking digital cameras on on the market, and it packs much ...
Solidly built, nostalgically styled 12.3megapixel cam that rewards a considered approach to picturetaking. Tidy images up to ISO 1600. Manual controls. Mated with the lowprofile 17mm f2.8 lens ($300), this is a street shooter's dream. Excellent image...
Lores LCD a real disappointment. Complicated menus. External flash only ($200). Subpar lowlight, ultrahighISO shots.
Compact body with DSLR-sized sensor, Built-in stabilisation works with any lens, HD movie mode and HDMI port, Broad customisation and Level Gauge.
Leisurely autofocus system, No built-in flash or viewfinder, Average resolution screen, Collapsing kit zoom mechanism can annoy.
When Olympus and Panasonic developed Micro Four Thirds, it was cameras like the E-P1 and GF1 which really had enthusiasts excited: the dream of squeezing a DSLR sensor and interchangeable lenses into as small a form factor as possible. And in this res...
Abstract: We knew it was coming but it still surprised many when Olympus threw away the last vestiges of a single lens reflex camera in a digital snapper that otherwise could have been called a DSLR.Into the new PEN went the 4/3rds inch Micro Four Thirds Live M...
With only three cameras available so far in the Micro Four Thirds format, it’s hard to compare the Olympus E-P1 with direct competitors—there really aren’t any. But next to Panasonic’s GH1, despite a virtual tie in our lab tests, w...
Small, inspiring design, Mirrorless design allows smaller optics, smaller body, Very compact lens designs, Good heft, but reasonably light at only one pound, Good LCD performance in bright sunlight, Control wheels work well, Leveling feature, Histogram...
Short battery life, No built-in flash, Low-res LCD screen, D-ring straps require metal-to-metal coupling rather than quieter metal-to-cloth, introducing rattle into audio tracks of movies, Leveling screen doesnt offer basic aperture and shutter speed ...
Not only did it introduce a new and much needed form factor to the digital camera market, the Olympus E-P1 is a great camera in its own right. (In fact, its detail rendering at moderate to high ISOs really marks a new level of performance for Four Thir...
Abstract: We were all impressed by the Panasonic GH1 and its amazing Video Mode and acceptable photo quality… Well at least way better than many other point and shoot or bridge available, but still a tiny little bit under a Nikon D90 (both the GH1 and D90 are so...
