Olympus 12.3 Megapixels E-PL2 Camera Review by SteveHuff

Average Camera Review Rating [16 reviews]

On January 5 2011, Olympus announced its new PEN E-PL2 interchangeable lens digital camera, along with a number of related accessories. The 12.3 Megapixels E-PL2 is the fifth camera in the company's PEN series of cameras, which comes with a slightly adjusted body styling with less chrome and more black as well as a mor comfortably sized grip. It will also ship with the updated 14-42mm II lens (28-84mm equivalent) and offer beginning users Live Guide II for assistance in adjusting settings in still and movie capture mode. The control wheel on the back panel can now be used to make changes in Live Guide II. The E-PL2 offers a larger 3.0-inch LCD over the E-PL1's 2.7-inch monitor, and the E-PL2 boosts monitor resolution to 460,000 dots. A new Dramatic Tone art filter has been added, simulating the look of HDR image, and there are now post-capture filter variations available to tweak the look of any particular filter effect. Filter effects can also now be combined, for example to use both pin hole and soft focus effects on a single image. Most other functions are the same, and features like the pop-up flash, 720p HD video recording and in-camera art filters are all here.

The fastest shutter speed on the Olympus PL2 has been boosted from 1/2,000 to 1/4,000 second, making it easier to freeze fast subject motion, and the maximum ISO sensitivity doubled from ISO 3,200 to ISO 6,400 equivalent. Face detection in the Olympus E-PL2 has also been upgraded, and now ensures that the camera will set focus specifically on your subject's nearest eye, rather than possibly focusing on a different area of the face, leaving the eyes unfocused. This should yield more pleasing results, since your subject's eyes are generally the most important part of the scene. The E-PL2 is listed for retail at $599.99 bundled with the MSC M. Zuiko Digital ED m14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens. Here's the summary of review by SteveHuffPhoto:

"With the release of the E-PL2 Olympus has created yet another great M4/3 body. If I were in the market today for a M4/3 Olympus body I would 100% buy the E-PL2 over the E-P2. The ONLY thing missing is the stereo mics so if video is your #1 concern the E-P2 may be better (but a panasonic GH2 would be best) but in all other areas I prefer the E-PL2. Another big BUT! I suspect an E-P3 is in the works and I cant wait to see what Olympus pulls out of their hats for that one. If it has a built in EVF and swivel screen I'm sold! As of this writing, the E-PL2 is the best Olympus PEN yet, IMO of course. The E-P2 can be had these days with the Kit lens for $670 (AT BH PHOTO HERE) and the E-Pl2 with kit lens can be had for $599 (ALSO AT BH PHOTO). The cost difference is small and if you wanted an E-P2 it would only cost you $70 more but I feel the E-Pl2 is a bit more polished than even the E-P2. Seems faster, JPEG output is nicer, and it has the latest and greatest tech from Oly. For me, the E-PL2 is THE Olympus M4/3 to get at this time, and I was and still am a HUGE fan of the E-P2. It's already a classic IMO. The days are finally here where we have multiple choices for a small camera that gives us superb quality. The M4/3 offerings, the Leica X1, the Ricoh GXR and even the little Sony NEX-5 all have their strengths and weaknesses. Any one of them is capable of delivering results that surpass most of our skills. With Micro 4/3 and even the Sony NEX I am waiting for more high quality prime lenses as I feel it's the glass that really makes the quality shine. Voigtlander already made the new 25 f/0.95 lens for Micro 4/3 so it appears really good glass is on the way and I hope to review this lens soon. Another promising lens is the new Panasonic 14 2.5 for Micro 4/3. I have one on the way to review so look out for that soon.

The E-PL2 is basically a "Hot Rodded" E-PL1 and it really is a fantastic photographic tool. I already said I would choose this over the E-P2 if choosing today but what about cameras in the same price range like the Sony NEX-5? The NEX-5 has the capability to pump out a better quality file but the Sony is seriously lacking in the lens department. As of today they still only have the 16, and 18-55 Zoom. Both of which are mediocre. Micro 4/3 is a more polished system with loads of lenses AND bodies. Also, the E-Pl2 is more of a photographers camera than the NEX-5. I love them all and especially enjoy the Sony for its high ISO capabilities. It would be a tough call but if you are deciding between the E-PL2 and the NEX-5 just ask yourself what you want and need in a small high quality camera. The Sony will give better video and better high ISO but the Olympus feels more like a real camera. Add on the SUPERB Olympus EVF and it's really awesome. Tough call as I enjoy both systems for what they offer."


Manufacturer	Olympus	Olympus
Model	E-PL2	E-PL1
Style	Advanced Compact	Mirrorless
Megapixels	12.3	12.3
LCD Screen	3-inch HyperCrystal LCD AR(Anti-Reflective) coating, 230,000 dots	2.7-inch HyperCrystal LCD AR(Anti-Reflective) coating, 230,000 dots
Memory Cards	SD Memory Card(SDHC compatible) Class 6 is recommended for Movie shooting	SD Memory Card(SDHC compatible) Class 6 is recommended for Movie shooting
Resolution	[RAW] 4032 x 3024 pixels [JPEG] 4032 x 3024 pixels - 640 x 480 pixels	[RAW] 4032 x 3024 pixels [JPEG] 4032 x 3024 pixels - 640 x 480 pixels
File Formats	RAW (12-bit lossless compression), JPEG, RAW+JPEG, AVI Motion JPEG(30fps)	RAW (12-bit lossless compression), JPEG, RAW+JPEG, AVI Motion JPEG(30fps), Wave Format Base Stereo PCM/16bit, 44.1kHz
Focal Length	N/A	N/A
Shutter Speed	60 - 1/4000 sec. Bulb: up to 30 min. (selectable longest time in the menu. Default: 8 min)	60 - 1/2000 sec. Bulb: up to 30 min. (selectable longest time in the menu. Default: 8 min)
Aperture	N/A	N/A
ISO Sensitivity	AUTO: ISO 200 - 6400(customizable, Default 200-1600) / Manual ISO 100 - 6400, 1/3 or 1 EV steps, Movie ISO 200-1600	AUTO: ISO 200 - 3200(customizable, Default 200-1600) / Manual ISO 100 - 3200, 1/3 or 1 EV steps
White Balance Settings	8 settings (3000K - 7500K) Lamp (3000K), Fluorescent 1 (4000K), Fluorescent 2 (4500K), Fluorescent 3 (6600K), Daylight (5300K), Flash (5500K), Cloudy (6000K), Shade (7500K)	Lamp (3000K), Fluorescent 1 (4000K), Fluorescent 2 (4500K), Fluorescent 3 (6600K), Daylight (5300K), Flash (5500K), Cloudy (6000K), Shade (7500K)
Flash Modes	Auto, Red-eye reduction, Red-eye reduction slow sync., Slow sync at 1st curtain, Slow sync at 2nd curtain, Fill-in, Off.	Auto, Red-eye reduction, Red-eye reduction slow sync., Slow sync at 1st curtain, Slow sync at 2nd curtain, Fill-in, Off
Flash Range	N/A	N/A
Shooting Modes	Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Landscape + Portrait, Sport, Night Scene, Night + Portrait, Children, High Key, Low Key, DIS mode, Macro, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Document, Panorama, Fireworks, Beach & Snow	Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Landscape + Portrait, Sport, Night, Night + Portrait, Children, High Key, Low Key, DIS mode, Macro, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Documents, Panorama, Fireworks, Beach & Snow
Maximum Movie Resolution	HD: 1280(H)x720(V) Aspect 16:9 SD: 640(H)x480(V) Aspect 4:3(VGA)	HD: 1280(H)x720(V) Aspect 16:9 SD: 640(H)x480(V) Aspect 4:3(VGA)
Maximum Movie Frames Per Second	30 fps	30 fps
Maximum Movie Duration	HD: 7min, SD: 14min	HD: 7min, SD: 14min
Macro Focus	N/A	N/A
Metering	EV 0 - 18 (Digital ESP metering, Centre weighted average metering, Spot metering)	EV 0 - 18 (Digital ESP metering, Centre weighted average metering, Spot metering) (At normal temperature, 50mm f2, ISO 100)
Image Stabilization	Yes, Built in (Imager shift image stabilizer)	Yes, Built in (Imager shift image stabilizer), Movie: Shifting electronic image (so called Digital I
Self Timer	Operation time: 12 sec., 2 sec. (cancel available)	12 sec., 2 sec. (cancel available)
Video Out (TV Playback)	Yes, HDMI(HD/Stereo Sound), VIDEO-OUT(SD/Mono Sound)	Yes, HDMI(HD/Stereo Sound), VIDEO-OUT(SD/Mono Sound)
Batteries	BLS-5 Li-ion battery (included)	BLS-1 Li-ion battery
Dimensions	120.5 (W) x 70 x 35mm	4.51 x 2.84 x 1.63 in / 114.6 x 72.2 x 41.5mm
Weight	335g	10.44 oz / 296g
Other Info	Sequential shooting speed Approx. 3 frames/sec. in sequential shooting Max. recordable pictures on sequential shooting RAW mode: Max. 10 frames.	Continuous Shooting Approx. 3 fps (Large normal mode: approx. 18 with Toshiba Super High Speed type "Class 6" 4GB) (RAW mode: Max. 10 frames.)
Release Date	2011-01-05	2009-11-05

Photo Album: Olympus Announces 12.3 Megapixels E-PL2 Interchangeable Lens Camera Priced $600

Olympus E-PL2 Sample Photos on Flickr

Olympus E-PL2 Camera Reviews Roundup

digitalcameraHQ: "The Olympus PEN E-PL2 is worth a serious look from anybody who wants to buy into a compact mirrorless system, whether it's a casual user looking to step up an affordable yet powerful camera, or an enthusiast looking for something more portable than a big, bulky dSLR. It takes awesome pictures, the performance is as reliable as its mirrorless peers, and the retro styling just looks cool. It has a charm that not many..." - May 25 2011 More »
Digital Camera Info: "The Olympus E-PL2 is an update to the E-PL1 which was released last year. The upgrades on this new model are relatively minor: a wider ISO range, improved video shooting and some minor design changes. However, we found the E-PL1 to be a very decent package in a compact camera, and our tests so far with the E-PL2 show that this does not seem to have changed with the newer model: it has the same pros (compact package,..." - Apr 30 2011 More »	N/A
PhotoReview Australia: "Overall performance for the review camera was similar to the E-PL1 we reviewed just over a year ago. The review camera's metering was still biased to favour shadows over highlights. Highlight clipping wasn't as bad as we found with the E-PL1, although it was quite important to meter on a mid-tone area in subjects to avoid over- or under-exposure. Autofocusing was noticeably faster than we found with the E-PL1 and ac..." - Apr 18 2011 More »
TechRadar: "In its Natural Picture mode the E-PL2 produces bright and vibrant images, however, the colours can benefit from a little tweak here and there to get them looking just right. In full sun both the auto white balance and sunny white balance setting have a tendency to overemphasise any yellow in images so they look a little too warm and patches of yellowish foliage tend to look a yellow. Blue skies are also a little bit..." - Apr 15 2011 More »