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
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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...
Though not aimed at the budget buyer, the Olympus E-P1 is not overly expensive. It is pitched as a premium product and will undoubtedly attract attention due to its looks, but considering it costs £699 with the 14-42mm, it is nearly half the price of...
Sharp images from ISO 100 through ISO 800. Low noise from ISO 100-1600. Beautiful aesthetics and design. HD video capture (720p30). HDMI port. 3 inch LCD.
Noticeable shutter lag. Slow autofocus. Lens is noisy when focusing, which is recorded when capturing video. Few Micro Four Thirds Lenses available. No optical viewfinder. No built-in flash.
Despite slow focusing, the compact Olympus E-P1 offers a well-rounded experience with a great price....
Compact, stainless steel design, Pleasing, accurate colors, Detailed 720p video with good sound, Full manual control and RAW support, Unique filters for photos and movies
Photos slightly underexposed in Auto mode, Slow autofocusing in movie mode, No viewfinder, Lacks on-board flash
For many shoppers, DSLRs’ bulky shapes are a deal-breaker, and that’s why we like the Olympus PEN E-P1. If you want the image quality of a DSLR along with a more compact design (and can afford to pay a premium), this camera is a compelling cho...
The Olympus EP-1 is a brave and largely successful attempt at fusing the small size and handling of a compact camera with the image quality and features of a DSLR. Most potential buyers wont remember the camera or decade that inspired the distinctive...
Abstract: It has been two weeks since I first got my hands on the gorgeous Olympus E-P1, and I think the time has come to give my honest opinion of how this retro Micro Four Thirds camera performs in some day to day photo work.As I mentioned in the previous revi...
Easy to use, Excellent image quality, 720p video looks superb
Autofocus noise bad for video, Reds can be oversaturated, No mic input
We still have plenty more to explore on the E-P1, such as the in-camera editing, slideshow options, and lots of little perks that Olympus has smartly added, but at a glance, we're impressed with much of what the company has delivered.Obviously some of the...
Abstract: Video Review: Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn take a look at the Olympus E-P1 Micro DSLR, the worlds smallest 12.3 megapixel interchangeable lens camera. ...
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(80%)
Published: 2009-06-24, Author: Lori , review by: cnet.com
Sluggish autofocus; short battery life; low-resolution LCD; lacks on-camera flash and viewfinder.
The Olympus E-P1 is an otherwise excellent enthusiast compact camera hampered by some performance problems and the lack of a viewfinder and built-in flash.
The retro feel of the Olympus E-P1 is wonderful. It's the sort of camera that puts a smile on your face when you use it and we loved the amount of control it gave us over what we took and its final look. In fact, our main criticism of a camera purport...
