Previous article
Next article

Samsung 12.5MP HZ25W 24x SuperZoom Review by ePhotoZine With Rating 8/10


Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG OS Zoom Lens Review by ePhotoZine With Rating 6/10


Olympus 12.3MP E-P2 Micro Four Thirds Review by PB With Rating 4.5/5

2010-02-10 06:19 | Tag:  Olympus  Rating  Four  Micro  Review  | Source
Average Camera Review Rating [9 reviews]
On November 5 2009, Olympus has followed up the June launch of its highly popular Pen E-P1 with the new E-P2 Micro Four Thirds digital camera. Adding a port for a new electronic viewfinder at a high resolution of 1.44 Megapixels and can pivots up to 90 degrees off-axis and stereo microphone to boost sound quality for the 720p movie mode. The E-P2 gets a new i-Enhance function to artificially boost color saturation, and expand two Art Filter modes with Cross Process (color inversion) and Diorama (tilt-shift) software effects both in movies and in stills. Other enhancements include a AF motion tracking which consequently fix a common complaint of slow autofocusing with the E-P1. It also has a remote slideshow control (via HDMI) and perhaps the biggest improvement of all is its ability to record 7 minute's of AVI format movies in 30fps at 1280x720p HD resolution.

Other technical specifications of the E-P2 includes a 12.3 Megapixel Live MOS sensor with dust reduction and image stabilisation, up to ISO 6400, 3.0-inch HyperCrystal LCD, 20 shooting modes, face detection and the camera takes SD or SDHC memory cards. The Olympus E-P2 will be available in December 2009. It includes E-P2 Body, VF-2 Electronic View Finder, ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens or 17mm f2.8 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack (BLS-1), Li-Ion Battery Charger (BCS-1), Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS Master 2 Software CD-ROM, Manuals and Registration card. E-P2 Body with ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder estimated street price is $1,099.99. E-P2 Body with 17mm f2.8 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens and Electronic View Finder 
estimated street price is $1099.99. The camera recently reached #9 of the DSLR sales ranking in Japan. Here is a recent review by PhotographyBLOG, giving the camera a rating of 4.5 out of 5:

"With the tweaks and refinements to the Olympus E-P2 being relatively modest, existing E-P1 owners shouldn't feel the need for an upgrade. To sum up, chief 'improvements' are the newly included EVF and port for such, (slightly) enhanced functionality for video makers, and the two new Art Filters, out of which Diorama was the one we deployed most often for its otherworldly and at times painterly effects. The E-P2 is, like its sibling, not only easy to use but also fun with it, and while there are creative options to dip in and out of, users can simply leave the camera on iAuto and take above par snapshots if so desired.

The disappointment about a lack of built-in flash in a package costing nearly £900 remains, and, if we were betting men, we'd wager that a Pen camera with integral flash mustn't be far off. Olympus will both need that to remain competitive and reach the wider consumer market with the series - more women users, a younger overall age group - that it originally stated was its intention with the launch of the E-P1. Integral flash and possibly a lower price will help do just that. Editor's note: Olympus must have been listening, as they launched the cheaper E-PL1 complete with built-in flash yesterday!

The Pen's dimensions, build and portability also loom large among its appealing qualities. Olympus' ad campaign may be suggesting 'don't be a tourist', and yet we'd recommend the compact(ish) camera as an ideal tool for the travel photographer. Overall the E-P2 joins the list of cameras that we didn't want to have to hand back at the end of the review period. And incidentally, for Pen completists a black leather body jacket is being offered by Olympus for the E-P2."

Photo Album: Olympus 12.3 Megapixels E-P2 Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera


Olympus E-P2 Sample Photos on Flickr





Olympus E-P2 Camera Reviews Roundup

RegHardware: "The Digital Zuiko 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ED produces bright and crispy images with very little distortion or chromatic aberration. The thing I could not get used to though is the annoying lens lock and unlock mechanism. With the zoom lens you need to unlock and extend the barrel before you can use it. It does not take long but it is a tedious and seems an unnecessary step. Relying on the tested 12.3Mp Live MOS sensor..." - Jun 26 2010 More »
NeutralDay: "The first half of this year has seen us spending a lot of time with small cameras housing large sensors. Between the E-P2, the Panasonic GF1, the Samsung NX10, the E-PL1, and various Sigma variants, nearly all of our review time has been spent with these appealing photographic solutions. All of them present super positive aspects, and all bring along a few flaws as well, it seems that none are the perfect solution t..." - Jun 09 2010 More »
dpreview: "Although at first glance the E-P2 seems remarkably similar to the E-P1, Olympus has done a lot to address the concerns we had about the first-generation model. The biggest change to the camera is one introduced with the latest firmware (version 1.1) and addresses the biggest concern we had about the E-P1 - its focus speed. In our testing, the E-P2 is a great improvement over the E-P1 when originally launched an..." - Apr 26 2010 More »
DPI: "The Olympus PEN E-P2 is, for most part, an identical twin to the E-P1 - Offering the same retro look (now in black!) combined with solid build quality , 12 megapixel LiveMOS sensor, sensor-shift image stabilization, full manual controls and 720p movie mode. And as I mentioned in the E-P1 review that it has a feature set very close to its E620 digital SLR counterpart (right down till the menus), the E-P2 does too. Se..." - Mar 25 2010 More »
N/A
TechRadar: "There's a lot to like about the Olympus PEN E-P2. It's stylish, well built, relatively easy to use and takes great pictures out of the box, thanks to its Micro Four Thirds technology and quality lenses.We liked: The ISO performance is impressive, which is just as well considering the lack of flash. The metering system nigh foolproof, and the new art effects, such as Cross Process and Diorama, are genuinely..." - Feb 22 2010 More »
CNET: "The E-P2's retro styling looks smart, but the camera handles badly. The vertical control dial is more difficult to spin than a regular knurled dial, and you have to apply pressure with your thumb to get a proper grip on the control ring around the navigation pad, which means you often press one of the direction buttons by accident. The electronic viewfinder is good, but the rear LCD display's 230,000-pixel resolutio..." - Feb 22 2010 More »
DigitalCameraReview: "Camera makers have attempted, several times, over the past fifty years to combine the creative potential and flexibility of an interchangeable lens SLR camera with the convenience and usability of a pocket-sized Point and Shoot camera. Unfortunately, that's sort of like trying to combine a sports car with a minivan - it usually doesn't work. The new Olympus Pen E-P2 may be one of the few exceptions to that rule - it..." - Feb 17 2010 More »
N/A
CameraLabs: "Prior to the E-PL1's announcement, this would have been an easier review to conclude. It would have read something like this: while the software enhancements are nice to have, the real benefits of the E-P2 over the E-P1 are the viewfinder and the ability to connect an external microphone adapter. If you've already decided you like the E-P1, then it simply boils down to deciding whether you're willing to pay for thes..." - Feb 15 2010 More »
Pocket-lint: "The Olympus Pen E-P2 is a wonderful little camera and you can't help feeling that this is the camera the E-P1 should have been. Even though we loved the E-P1, the additions to the E-P2 make it even more compelling; those who have invested in the E-P1 are probably now kicking themselves that they didn't wait around a little longer. The fight between Olympus and Panasonic is set to run on and the E-P2 squares up..." - Feb 10 2010 More »
PhotoReview: "Imatest showed similar results to the E-P1 tests for ISO settings up to ISO 800 with a slight decline in resolution for ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 and a sizeable fall at ISO 6400. At ISO 6400, noise was quite obvious in test shots and colour reproduction was noticeably affected. The graph below shows the results of our tests. Imatest showed lateral chromatic aberration to be consistently low, with most results falli..." - Jan 18 2010 More »
LetsGoDigital: "As for image quality or rather; overall quality, it is like we're testing the P1 all over again. Excellent picture quality, good resolution and a special photography experience is what the Olympus Pen E-P2 stands for. Therefore we have to look for the tiny differences that on the one hand have a large impact on the photo experience, and on the other hand are only minimally present. The electronic viewfinder is great..." - Dec 16 2009 More »
N/A


Olympus E-P2 Camera Recent User Reviews

mixed feelings, Nikola - Jul 30 2010
I have been using E-P2 (with M.Zuiko 14-42mm and Lumix G 45-200mm lenses) for more than a month now, and still have some mixed feelings about it. I like the relatively small size given the quality and the number of features packed in. The selection of both prime and zoom lenses is now decent, and sensor-based image stabilization of this model means that you don't need to worry whether...


Not what I'd hoped for, C. Frank - Jul 14 2010
I just returned my Olympus PEN e-P2 and I thought I would post a little review for others' edification. A while back, I sold my APS-C outfit (a Canon 20D with lenses) because I wanted something that I felt comfortable carrying around...something that doesn't look like a weapon when it's pointed at you and that i feel comfortable taking on the bus or bike or to social events. It turns...


Wow, this is a great camera., Edward Goldberg - Jul 10 2010
I have been a Cannon user for many years now. Starting with film and moving to Digital. Now I have moved over to the new format. This new camera is great. The best part of the camera is the Video Modes. The still images are very good. But the flexibility of one camera for all modes is a big feature. I use this camera for White Board Screen shots at work and for classes that I...


Decisions, decisions..., Eugene F. Fama - Jun 28 2010
We're lucky when we shop for something and our choice is limited to two options. Such is the case with micro fourth-thirds cameras. The format has been around for at least 40 years, but digital micro four-thirds is new. The format appeals to photobugs because it represents a good compromise between the image quality of consumer SLRs and the size of compact cameras. The image sensor is...


More E-P2 User Reviews »


DSLR Photography Latest Posts




Cameras In The Article
 




Add your comments