$599.99
Olympus E-PL1
Digital Camera Review
Introduction
Page 1 of 22
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Introduction | |||
 This third camera in the Olympus Micro Four thirds PEN line delivers the pop-up flash missing from the E-P1 and E-P2, retains the accessory port used for adding an electronic viewfinder or external stereo mic to the E-P2 and sells at a tempting $600 list price. Image noise is still an issue, as with all Micro Four Thirds cameras, but high ISO noise reduction has improved significantly from the detail-blasting system in the E-P1 to make it a truly useful option. With excellent image sharpness, a lightweight, easy-to-handle body and extensive photographic controls, there's a lot to like about the E-PL1, though the lack of even one control dial is a nagging issue for those who like to adjust shutter speed, aperture or exposure compensation manually. |
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 Exclusive - Video testing on the Olympus E-PL1 is provided by CamcorderInfo.com, the world leader in camcorder and video reviewing. |
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| Page 1 of 21 | Product Tour |  |
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| Section | The Good | The Bad | |
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Product Tour | Compact body with pop-up flash, new to Olympus PEN line | Not as ruggedly built as metal E-P1 and E-P2 |
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Color | Good color accuracy under bright lights |
Low-light problems with both color accuracy and image noise |
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Noise | High noise levels unless noise reduction processing is cranked up | Noise reduction doesn't impair image detail badly |
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Resolution | Excellent image sharpness | Poor dynamic range for high-contrast subjects |
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White Balance | On-screen white balance preview | Unimpressive performance in auto and custom modes |
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Sample Photos | See sample photos taken with the Olympus E-PL1 under different conditions | |
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Playback | Nice selection of playback views include useful side-by-side comparison mode | Minimal in-camera editing capabilities |
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Hardware | Collapsible zoom lens enhanced portability; flash has even coverage | Add-on EVF expensive |
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Controls | Clever plain-English adjustments available in auto mode; lots of scene modes; Art Filters sometimes useful | Autofocus improved, but still laggy |
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Design & Handling | Comfortable and highly portable; nice two-level quick menu system | No control dials (E-P1 has two); tricky manual exposure settings procedure |
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Conclusion | Read our final conclusion on the Olympus E-PL1 | |
| Video Section | The Good | The Bad | |
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Video: Color & Noise | Low noise levels; lots of color modes | Color accuracy wasn't very good in our bright light testing. |
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Video: Motion & Sharpness | Decent motion and sharpness for a camera that records 720p video. | Image wasn't quite as sharp as last year's E-P1. |
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Video: Low Light Performance | Low noise levels in low light. | Low light sensitivity wasn't very good. |
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Video Features | Lots of manual controls in video mode. | Stationary LCD is hard to use; confusing button system |
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