Olympus PEN E-PL1 Review | 108 Data compared

The Olympus PEN E-PL1, as reviewed by ePHOTOzine, is identified as an affordable, stylishly retro Micro Four Thirds camera featuring a built-in pop-up flash and dedicated video button. It delivers low-noise images at lower ISO settings and provides improved contrast-detection autofocus speeds compared to its predecessors. Conversely, the review notes that image quality degrades at higher ISOs, with noise and color casts appearing at ISO 800 and above. Additionally, the camera suffers from inconsistent color reproduction, particularly with vibrant tones, and its autofocus, while improved, still struggles to match the speed of a DSLR.

The Olympus PEN E-PL1 is a Micro Four Thirds interchangeable-lens camera designed as an affordable, consumer-friendly alternative to entry-level dSLRs for point-and-shooters looking to upgrade. Priced around $549 for the body only and $599 with a 14-42mm kit lens, it shifts away from the retro film look of its higher-end siblings (the E-P1 and E-P2) to mimic advanced digital compact cameras like the Canon PowerShot G-series. On the positive side, the E-PL1 boasts excellent build quality with a sturdy, comfortable grip, and it integrates a highly requested built-in flash that its predecessors lacked. It delivers standout photo quality on par with similarly priced dSLRs, featuring great dynamic range, high color accuracy, and clean noise performance up through ISO 800. Additionally, it allows users to shoot RAW+JPEG files across all shooting modes—including its signature creative "Art Filters" and a simplified, slider-based iAuto interface. Despite its high-quality imagery, the camera's overall performance is significantly hindered by a frustrating lack of speed. Its primary drawback is a sluggish 11-area contrast autofocus system that takes up to 1.4 seconds to focus and shoot in...

The Olympus E-PL1 is a highly capable micro four-thirds camera that delivers exceptional image quality and sharp, ready-to-use out-of-camera JPEGs. It features an integrated flash, a dedicated video recording button, a weaker anti-aliasing filter for superior sharpness, and new creative art filters. Despite its plasticky construction compared to its predecessors, the camera remains compact, solid, and reliable for travel photography, offering improved low-light performance up to ISO 1600. However, the camera has notable limitations, including a maximum shutter speed capped at 1/2000s, which restricts shallow depth-of-field shooting on sunny days. It relies entirely on rear buttons rather than physical dials for adjusting exposure settings, and features a smaller, somewhat washed-out LCD screen. Additionally, the audio records only in mono through its built-in microphone, and the prominent placement of the direct video button makes it prone to accidental activation when rubbing against the body.

The DPReview of the Olympus PEN E-PL1 highlights the 12-megapixel mirrorless camera as a capable entry-level model blending ease of use with strong image quality, featuring a built-in flash, effective sensor-shift stabilization, and excellent JPEG processing up to ISO 3200. Positive aspects include the "Live Guide" interface, 720p HD video, and artistic filters, although the camera relies on a plastic construction and a 230k-dot LCD screen. Conversely, the review identifies significant drawbacks, including a lack of physical control dials, forcing reliance on slow, menu-driven adjustments, and a slow continuous shooting speed of 3 frames per second. Other cons include a 1/2000s max shutter speed, a tendency to clip highlights, and the absence of an orientation sensor.

The Olympus PEN E-PL1 is an entry-level mirrorless Micro Four Thirds camera designed for casual users stepping up from compact pocket cameras. It retains premium internal features from its pricier siblings, such as a 12.3-megapixel LiveMOS sensor, full manual controls, RAW mode, 3-axis sensor-shift image stabilization, and a 720p HD movie mode. To lower the cost, Olympus downgraded the build quality to a glossy plastic chassis, shrunk the screen to 2.7 inches, reduced the maximum shutter speed to 1/2000 second, and removed the physical control/command dials, resulting in heavy menu-button scrolling for exposure adjustments. However, it uniquely introduces beginner-friendly advantages missing on higher-tier models, including a built-in pop-up flash with wireless external flash control, a dedicated video recording button, and a slider-based "Live Guide" interface to easily tweak professional effects like background blur. Performance and testing reveal a camera with notable upgrades alongside persistent structural flaws. On the positive side (Pros), the E-PL1 delivers excellent image quality with highly saturated colours and impressive low-noise performance up to usable ISO 3200 levels. It features a 50% larger continuous buffer than the...

The Olympus PEN E-PL1 is an entry-level Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera featuring a 12.3-megapixel Live CMOS sensor, an easy-to-use interface, and 19 helpful scene modes including an "iAUTO" beginner's aid. The camera delivers exceptional image quality comparable to many DSLRs, maintaining highly sharp definition and virtually no visible noise or artifacts at lower ISO settings up to ISO 800. Highly pocketable and lightweight at just 344 grams including the battery and memory card, the E-PL1 can record 720p HD movies with audio, allows still image capture during recording, and features a built-in pop-up flash which corrects a notable omission from the original PEN model. A key physical drawback noted in the review is the design and 13mm proximity of the shutter and power buttons, which look similar enough to cause accidental photo captures when attempting to turn the power off. Performance limitations include visible barrel distortion at the wide end of the included f/3.5-5.6 14-42mm kit lens, a relatively sluggish 3-second startup time, and audible auto-focus buzzing noises that register on the movie soundtrack. Noise and color artifacts also...

The Amateur Photographer review highlights the Olympus Pen E-PL1 as a capable, budget-friendly Micro Four Thirds camera, praised for its excellent image quality, in-body stabilization, and full manual controls, making it an ideal step up for beginners. However, key drawbacks include a sluggish contrast-detection autofocus system that struggles with fast subjects and a lack of a physical control dial, which slows down manual adjustments.

Olympus E-PL1 Review Summary The Olympus E-PL1 (also known as the Pen Lite) is a 12-megapixel Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera designed as a simplified, lower-cost alternative to the E-P1 and E-P2. Functionally identical in image processing to its predecessors, it saves on cost by replacing metal body components with plastic, reducing the maximum shutter speed to 1/2000, lowering the flash sync speed to 1/160 second, and removing the orientation sensor and dual control dials. However, it adds a convenient built-in flash and unique art filters. The camera delivers exceptional image quality at base ISO that stands up to contemporary 12mp DSLRs, provided photographers manage high-contrast scenes carefully to preserve dynamic range. The major strengths of the camera lie in its highly configurable settings and built-in sensor stabilization, which allows for the use of incredibly compact lenses without sacrificing stability. Conversely, its primary drawbacks stem from poor ergonomic design and handling quirks. The menu system is notably messy, changing exposure compensation requires tedious button navigation, the tripod socket is annoyingly offset from the center of the lens, and the prominent...

The Olympus PEN E-PL1 is a user-friendly, affordable, interchangeable lens camera offering outstanding image quality, superb color reproduction, and an effective sensor-shift image stabilization system. Pros include the versatile 14-42mm kit lens, a built-in pop-up flash, and dedicated HD video recording, making it a highly capable option for the entry-level market. However, the camera features a plastic build rather than a metal one and lacks dedicated control dials, requiring menu navigation for manual adjustments. Key cons include an underpowered flash, a mono microphone, and an autofocus system that struggles with hunting in low-light conditions, partly due to the lack of an AF assist lamp. YouTube ·

The Olympus PEN E-PL1 review by Scott Gietler on the Underwater Photography Guide highlights the mirrorless camera as an excellent choice for amateur photographers transitioning from compact cameras to interchangeable lens systems. A major praise is its excellent image quality and superb high-ISO performance, which stems from a Micro Four Thirds sensor that is nearly five times larger than traditional compact camera sensors. Additional pros include built-in image stabilization that eliminates the need for stabilized lenses, an ergonomic layout with an accessible one-touch HD video recording button, wireless flash control, and a helpful Live Guide mode for beginners. The kit lens also provides a decent macro capability out of the box, making it highly functional for underwater enthusiasts looking for a compact travel setup. However, the review outlines several key limitations when comparing the camera to traditional DSLRs. The most notable con is its slow auto-focus speed, especially in low-light environments or video mode, which makes it less ideal for capturing fast-moving action. The camera lacks physical dedicated control dials for adjusting aperture and shutter speed, forcing users into a...

The Olympus E-PL1 is a highly customizable, budget-friendly Micro Four Thirds camera designed primarily for users upgrading from compact digital cameras. The reviewer praises its compact and lightweight design, the inclusion of an on-board flash, and an accessory port that supports the high-quality VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder. A notable highlight is the camera's revamped imaging pipeline, which delivers sharp, well-exposed, and color-accurate JPEG images straight out of the camera without requiring RAW manipulation. Furthermore, the updated firmware significantly improves autofocus speeds—especially when paired with newer Movie-Still-Compatible (MSC) lenses—and the in-body Image Stabilization breathes new life into legacy OM manual lenses. However, the camera features several prominent design compromises to achieve its lower price point. Built primarily out of plastic, it lacks the premium metal finish of its predecessors and sports flimsy compartment doors. Photographers will also miss dedicated physical control wheels, forcing them to rely on menu diving and the 4-way arrow buttons to change parameters like exposure compensation. Other notable drawbacks include slow image processing when using certain creative Art Filters, an off-center tripod bush that blocks access to the...