Testseek.co.uk have collected 110 expert reviews of the Olympus Pen E-PL1 and the average rating is 79%. Scroll down and see all reviews for Olympus Pen E-PL1.
March 2010
(79%)
110 Reviews
Average score from experts who have reviewed this product.
Users
(91%)
58 Reviews
Average score from owners of the product.
790100110
The editors liked
Cheapest Pen to date
Comes with flash
Great results from kit lens
Fun digital effects
Pluses
Compact size handles well
Innovative simplified interface
Generally responsive
Good quality photos up to 800 ISO
Art filters are great
Built in flash
Excellent image quality
Good low light performance
The first PEN to incorporate a flash and the cheapest Micro Four Thirds camera to date
Simplified operation
Fun digital Art Filters and effects
On-board flash
Operation simplifying Live Guide
The E-PL1 offers the cheapest entry point to date into the Pen camera range
Impressive design and handling
Smashing video-recording features
The editors didn't like
Still expensive
Smaller LCD
Plastic body
Minuses
New interface limited to one setting at a time
No scroll wheel
Only mono sound for video
Menus still confusing
Build quality is iffy
Plastic construction
Pared-down ISO
Smaller LCD screen at 2.7in
Plastic construction where the E-P1 and E-P2 offered steel
The E-PL1's biggest limitation for video recording is the fact that it does not offer a Full HD 1920 x 1080 video mode. As far as 720p cameras go, however, the E-PL1 is a fairly good model. Olympus significantly increased the amount of manual controls...
Excellent resolution with lots of detail in the shots, Point-and-shoot interface that also allows user interaction, Superb JPEG engine makes camera's full capability easily accessible, Reliable metering and white balance (in natural light), Good AF performance (though kit lens holds it back), Hints of retro styling and SLR quality in a compact body, Collapsible kit lens is small and offers dece
Some highlight clipping (and poor dynamic range at ISO 100), Low resolution screen that's hard to see in bright light, No orientation sensor means having to rotate every portrait image manually, Exposure controls slow and awkward to use (by DSLR standards), 1/2000th max shutter speed combined with base sensitivity of ISO 200 limits, you to small apertures in bright light, i-Enhance picture mode
There are, perhaps, three types of potential users who might find themselves considering purchasing the E-PL1, all of who will find things to love and things to be frustrated by in the camera. The first is the compact camera user who wants better imag...
All in all, the Olympus E-PL1 is a nice offering for the Micro Four Thirds format. Given the target of where we thought manufacturers were heading with this format to begin with (i.e. a true bridge between DSLRs and point and shoot cameras), it seems...
some noise/noise reduction issues, low resolution LCD
Evaluating the Olympus E-PL1 isn't entirely straightforward, given the rate at which this particular market is changing. The Micro Four Thirds system has unquestionably pioneered the hybrid concept, but Samsung's NX10, Ricoh's GXR system and the promis...
Excellent, natural stills, Very low noise, even at high ISOs, Compact, lightweight, Loved the 17mm lens
Too expensive, Not many lens options, No viewfinder
Olympus’ PEN E-PL1 makes a resounding case for the emerging Micro Four Thirds format by shedding the bulk of DSLR but preserving outstanding picture quality....
Abstract: Olympus is making headway with the digital PEN, which is logical. It is a very smart concept and a very nice cross between a compact camera and an SLR camera. The design also makes it appealing to a lot of people. That may be truer for the E-P1 than fo...
Abstract: We’ve already covered the new Olympus E-PL1 in a preview and a demo of the Live Guide automatic shooting, so this review is going to wrap things up into a neat little package. In case you didn’t read our previous coverage, the E-PL1 is the newest camer...
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Published: 2010-04-06, Author: Lori , review by: cnet.com
Excellent build quality; very good photo quality; can shoot raw+JPEG in every mode, including Art Filters and iAuto
Slow, with sluggish autofocus, short battery life, low-resolution LCD
Reasonably priced for an interchangeable-lens model, with the same high-quality photos of its siblings, the E-PL1 nevertheless suffers from slow performance that makes it a poor choice for snapshooters looking to upgrade.
Abstract: Olympus' E-PL1 is a camera on a mission -- it not only shrinks the entry-level price tag for Micro Four Thirds cameras to $600, it retains the same 12.3 megapixel sensor, image processor, autofocus and metering systems of its elder, the E-P1, while introd...
