E-PL1 Review

Hey guys!

So this is my own personal hands on review of the Olympus E-Pl1. It isn't very old and not too much a difference from its older siblings, the Olympus PEN E-P1 and E-P2.

Size and weight
The size of the E-PL1, as compared is that, its slightly thicker due to the grip as well as being shorter in width compared to the earlier PENs. The camera is made of plastic therefore making it extremely light. When I first held the camera, it does feel like a toy actually... But the fact that the body with kit lens is close to 1k makes it a very expensive toy. Though its made of plastic, the camera itself feels very solid. But solid in the good way. I remember holding my friend's EOS 450D if I'm not mistaken. It felt solid too... However... It is the kind of solid that feels like glass rather than something like table wood solid. The E-PL1 is table wood solid so to speak.

Image and video quality
I didn't take much videos except 2, but 1 was blur so I only uploaded one here taken using the 9-18mm or 17mm lens with diorama art filter. Recording with this art filter is a little troublesome as there isn't audio (which isn't important in "professional" video recording as sound is added and sync in post production) and that 1 second on card is actually a couple of seconds in real life. The effect isn't very obvious in the one I shot but it is there. And I like the stop motion feel it has to it. Everything look like toys which is pretty much the point of diorama feel.

Art filters and iAuto
The E-PL1 has slightly different art filters compared to it siblings. They all have Pop art, Grainy Film, Pinhole and soft focus. The E-PL1 however has Gentle Sepia as well as diorama compare to the E-P1, and only gentle sepia compared to the E-P2.
The iAuto mode has also slightly changed. In addition to the "original" iAuto mode found on earlier models where the camera will recognize the situation and change to preset scene modes on its own, the E-PL1 also has something known as a live guide where there are tips as well as EASY TO USE(and I do mean easy to use) changing for image settings such as colour saturation.

Some sample images shown below

Gentle Sepia Art Filter of a passerby at Valley Point, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens

Snap shot using iAuto with increased saturation in live guide, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens

Grainy Film Art Filter of a restaurant near Plaza Singapura, Olympus E-PL1 M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Gentle Sepia Art Filter of a bar near Plaza Singapura, Olympus E-PL1 M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Cathay Grainy Film Art Filter, Olympus E-PL1 M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Cathay taken with iAuto mode, Olympus E-PL1 M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Diorama Art Filter from my room, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Old building where Mac's used to be at Bukit Merah, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm

Olympus PEN EE2, Olympus E-PL1, M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens, wireless FL-36R and reflector

Might Morphin' Red Ranger at Cosfest, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 14-150mm lens

Olympus E-PL1 iAuto mode image of my school, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens

Another shot of my school iAuto mode, Olympus E-PL1 with M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens


Ergonomics
This camera has a grip as compared to its siblings, resembling some of the powershot series from Canon. The previous models resemble the old film cameras from Olympus, Canon and Nikon, the brick camera so to speak. I usually hold it by the lens cause the grip is too small for me to hold properly. The right way to carry is by the lens anyway. For guys with big hands like mine or long fingers, it might be a little bit hard to hold it by the grip.

Other notes
The Olympus E-PL1 has only up to ISO3200 as compared to previous models but its good enough. The images come out pretty clean. It is quite inconspicuous in my hands and no one seemed to realize I was shooting from my waist. Like my own E-P1, I'd probably match it with a M.Zuiko 17mm and go out shooting. The camera is also the first model with built in flash and capable of wireless flash shooting as shown in the image above of the Olympus PEN EE2. Do note though that the lack of dials may come as a little bit weird to those used to DSLRs, but its home to those coming from compact cameras.

Electronic Viewfinder attachment
The EVF for the E-PL1 and E-P2 have always been a joy to use since it first came out with the Olympus E-P2. This camera requires a data port which is missing on the E-P1 which explains why it cannot be attached and used on it. The viewfinder is big and bright, seriously big and bright. No problems in low light area for viewing and like all other EVFs, they're 100% field of view.

M.Zuiko Digital 9-18mm f4-5.6 lens
This lens is very similar to the kit lens M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f4-5.6 lens whereby it has a lock for making in extremely compact by compressing everything together. There is little distortion as compared to my Zuiko Digital 7-14mm f4 lens but of course, it is not as wide. But its good enough for most situations that I come across with my own PEN. This lens focusing is quiet and fast. I'm not sure how fast it is, but definitely faster than using the legacy lenses not capable of CDAF. But AF speed is not a big issue to me. Shall not explain here, ask me if you want to know. If you want to know how quiet it is. I tried focusing on something in my room, with the door and windows closed. And everything that makes noise off. And I don't hear anything until its pressed against my ear. But in doing so, the AF achieved sound is extremely loud. I personally do not see anything wrong with the lens in technical aspects. It is also extremely light. So light its like I can throw a few stories up.

M.Zuiko Digital 14-150mm f4-5.6 lens
This lens measures barely 10cm at the wide side and yet it is capable of covering wide angle 28mm (35mm equiv) to 300mm (35mm equiv) which is a range covers most, if not all for most people as well as beginners. Extremely light and compact and like the M.Zuiko 9-18mm lens, focusing is extremely quiet. In technical aspects, I've seen nothing wrong as well. It is lighter than the closest lens available, the Panasonic Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 HD lens. Though not as light as the 9-18 due to more glass elements present inside.

Both the M.Zuiko 9-18 and the M.Zuiko 14-150 work well with any PEN cameras and are the perfect pair for me and most people to take on most trips. It can fit into the bag that Canon used to give. Inside I can put the 14-150, 9-18, any PENs with EVF. Extremely light to carry for shooting, there seems to be no reason why one cannot bring the PEN out to shoot in terms of weight. In fact, just the 14-150mm is good enough for most people. The lens are optimized for HD video recording but work just as well for still imaging.

To summarize anything that I've not said along with what I've already said. The Olympus E-PL1, with its 12 megapixel sensor, capable of print images up to A1 and possibly beyond, full HD video 720P mono sound(stereo with external mic attachment), art filters, iAuto mode, built in flash wire wireless capabilites. Built in image stabilizer, stabilizing any lens. With a whole range of lens not just from the Olympus digital series, but any old film lens with aperture control, FD mount from Canon to range finder lenses. A very nice nifty camera as a backup for professionals, a beginners camera for people who want to get something easy to use and not wanting to have to change to upgrade as their skills improve, superb image quality. It is a camera I will definitely get to use in my old age when I'm old and retired but not a camera I would use now as a main camera for events. A fun and light camera for anyone but people with big hands to use comfortable (may vary from person to person). Paired with the M.Zuiko 14-150mm and M.Zuiko 9-18mm. It makes a good all rounder camera with pretty good close up capabilities and wide angle capabilities.