Interested in testing the Olympus E-PL1 without leaving your desk? If you have a computer with a webcam, you can head on over to the Olympus PEN 3D site for the first online augmented reality camera test-drive.
To get the test-drive started, you’ll need a “camera card” – these will be included in the June issue of Wired and the July issue of Popular Photography. Alternatively, you can just download the PDF and print one of your own.
Once you have the paper camera, install the browser plugin and hold it up in front of your webcam – augmented reality will turn the flat paper card it into a 3D model of the E-PL1, and you’ll be able to play around with all the features of this amazing camera.
Once you’ve learned about the features on the camera, you can even enter to win one of five E-PL1 cameras and $5000 cash! One lucky winner will be invited on an all-expenses paid trip to New York, where they’ll get to show their creation on a giant video screen at the US Open! The contest (and rules) can be found here.
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 reviews (Introduction and “the basics“), the E-P1 shoots in 12.3MP and the version I have comes with the M.Zukio Digital 14-42mm lens. I also have the matching retro flash.
Lets go over the good and the bad with the Olympus E-P1.
We’ll start with the good:
Quick startup time and fast power-on till first photo. Sure, this won’t be as quick as some P&S cameras, but it is still snappy enough to reach for the camera and take a photo before the opportunity is gone. Fantastic photo quality. Seriously, what good would a camera be if it couldn’t take awesome photos? The E-P1 does not disappoint, even though I am by no means a pro, I’ve made a whole bunch of photos that look better than anything I ever made in the past.
Settings, settings, settings… This is almost my favorite part of the camera. This thing is filled with so many cool features, that I’m still finding fun things to do with it, even after 2 weeks. The basics are easy to find (like the awesome art shot modes), some others are hidden away in the menu structure (like a fun multiple exposure mode).
The looks. I’ve read quite a few reviews of the E-P1, and not a single person has anything bad to say about its looks. Every part of the E-P1 oozes good looks. Olympus really did find a perfect balance between retro and modern. Without a doubt, this is the best looking camera I have ever had the pleasure of using. Video quality.Video quality on the E-P1 is surprisingly good, and makes all those cheap handheld flash HD cameras look like toys. When you hook the E-P1 up to your HD TV using a (optional) Mini HDMI cable, you really see how well it captures video. Not only that, but since it records stereo audio, things don’t sound too bad either.
The bad:
No optical viewfinder. In order to make a camera this small, and still manage to fit the large sensor in its body, it is obvious that some concessions were made. But understanding that does not make it less annoying that there is no optical viewfinder in the camera. It is just something you need to learn to live with.
No built in flash. This one is not as annoying as the previous one, but it still means I need to carry the flash around with me wherever I take the camera. Also, the flash is an optional extra, so once you buy the camera, you’ll need to spend another $100 for it.
That’s it – only 2 things really annoy me about the camera, but both issues are so minor that they have not really made the experience with the camera negative in any way. In fact, for the first time in my life, I’m beginning to get more and more interested in photography, and will probably be spending some time taking classes on how to take better photos. I already started getting tips when I was in New York, as I was surrounded by professionals who looked at me like a real “work in progress”.
The only remaining thing that will obviously be of concern to some is the price. There is no denying that $799 for the body and the 14-42mm lens is steep. Once you add a second lens, a flash, some memory and a spare battery, you are already creeping towards $1250. That is a lot of money, and obviously puts the camera in the price range where it won’t be an impulse purchase.
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.
I’ll close with a video demonstration and a selection of photos I made using the E-P1 – when you look at them, remember that I have been a P&S photographer all my life, so I’m naturally quite proud of the results. The video was about the most challenging thing I could throw at the camera – on the wild “tilt-a-whirl” at Coney Island, and you’ll clearly see that even with that much action, it did a very decent job.
I just spent the past 2 days playing with the new Olympus E-P1 digital camera. Before I continue, let me quickly describe what kind of photographer I am – 95% of the time, I’ll have my camera set to “auto” and the remaining 5%, it is set to manual by mistake. As a geek, I got in on the whole DSLR craze very early, and got out of the craze after just 2 weeks.
I’ve always found DSLR’s to be too big, too complicated and too overwhelming. So, when I initially read about the new Olympus E-P1 camera, I was very interested, as it appeared to be everything I like in a camera, but still able to offer me the features and quality of a large digital SLR.
Now on the camera itself – anyone who knows a thing or two about photography will know what the Olympus Pen was. The Pen was the first half-frame camera produced in Japan, and one of the smallest to take regular 35mm film. The entire Pen line was a massive success, but the last one was developed way back in 1981. The first Pen hit the market in 1959, which just so happens to be 50 years ago, which is of course the perfect time to relaunch the Pen using current technologies. The basics
Inside the camera is the same large sensor that you’ll find in a DSLR camera, capable of shooting in 12.3 megapixels. The unit features in-camera image stabilization and an ultrasonic lens cleaning technology called “Super Sonic Wave Filter” – how cool is that?
Having image stabilization inside the camera means lenses won’t need the technology in them, which should keep the price of lenses to a minimum. Some of the highlights built into the camera are:
720p HD video recording
Audio recording in PCM Stereo
Multiple art shooting modes (pop art, soft focus, pale&light color, light tone, grainy film and pin hole)
Interchangeable lenses using the Micro Four Thirds system
Stainless steel body available in metal/chrome and white
3″ LCD
Digital leveler built in (this is way cooler than it sounds)
Tomorrow I’ll start showing some of the features up close, in the meantime, enjoy some of these photos I took using the camera. I uploaded all the images in their original, unedited format, just click “hi res” in the top to see the full size photo, and remember; I am not a professional photographer by any means, so go easy on me!
In the coming days you are going to see quite a bit about a new digital camera. Anyone who stays up to date with my reviews will know that it takes something special to get my attention and for the first time in ages, I’m actually excited about a digital camera.
The new Olympus E-P1 is a compact digital camera – if you saw it from a distance, you’d easily mistake it for a point-and-shoot camera. The design can be described in one word – absolutelyamazinglycool. Seriously, this is a gorgeous camera. It borrows a lot of its looks from the original Olympus Pen, without looking too outdated. It has the perfect balance of modern and retro, and Olympus clearly spent a lot of effort making it their camera look this nice.
That is all your are going to get in part 1 – I simply have too much to tell you about this amazing camera to fit it all in one part. In the coming days you’ll get up close with its usability, photo and video quality and some more focus on how well it travels.
In the meantime, head on over to the Olympus E-P1 minisite to learn more about this amazing camera.