Olympus PEN E-PL2 Review | 108 Data compared

The DPReview evaluation of the Olympus PEN E-PL2 characterizes it as an accessible, feature-rich Micro Four Thirds camera bridging the gap between point-and-shoots and DSLRs. Key strengths include 12.3-megapixel resolution with excellent base ISO, improved ergonomics featuring a rear control dial, and a faster 14-42mm kit lens. However, the review notes drawbacks such as a clunky exposure control system, a complex, non-intuitive menu, and the lack of an internal orientation sensor. Additionally, the camera records large, inefficient video files, and its small sensor displays higher noise above ISO 400 compared to larger alternatives.

The Olympus PEN E-PL2 is a compact, well-constructed mirrorless camera featuring a 12.3-megapixel Live MOS sensor and a 3-inch, 460,000-dot LCD screen in a retro-styled, lightweight design. Key pros include its excellent portability, comfortable sculpted hand grip, and high-quality build. However, the camera's small form factor causes, in particular, the rear control ring to be highly susceptible to accidental, unintended adjustments, according to the review. While offering solid performance, the sensitive, cramped button layout may not be ideal for all users.

The Olympus E-PL2 is a streamlined, "hot-rodded" upgrade to the E-PL1 that merges the ergonomics of the flagship E-P2 with its predecessor's internal technology. While it retains the exact same 12.3-megapixel Live-MOS sensor and TruePic V image processor, it introduces a sleeker, more solid body design with a rubberized handgrip. Significant physical improvements include a larger, double-resolution 3-inch LCD screen, a back control dial to replace cheap buttons, and an expanded maximum shutter speed of 1/4000s, which allows for shallow depth-of-field shooting in bright daylight without an ND filter. The camera also ships with a newly redesigned 14-42mm II kit lens that features faster and completely silent autofocus, eliminating lens noise during 720p HD movie recording. Pros and Cons Pros: Excellent JPEGs: Delivers top-tier, vibrant color signature and image quality right out of the camera. Faster Shutter: The 1/4000s maximum shutter speed is a major upgrade for shooting with fast lenses in full sun. Improved Hardware: Features a much sharper rear LCD and a responsive control dial. Silent Video AF: The updated kit lens is completely silent during movie shooting....

The Amateur Photographer review of the Olympus Pen E-PL2 praises the mirrorless, entry-level camera for its 12.3-million-pixel sensor, built-in pop-up flash, and superior 3-inch, 460k-dot LCD screen. It is recognized for excellent exposure metering, accurate white balance, and solid handling, making it a viable upgrade for point-and-shoot users. However, the evaluation highlights significant drawbacks, including poor noise and resolution performance that causes smudging in darker areas. The E-PL2 is further limited by a maximum 720p HD video resolution and high battery consumption due to the constantly active LCD screen.

The Olympus PEN E-PL2 features a modern-retro design with significant ergonomic upgrades, including a physical mode dial, a rear scroll wheel, and a rubberized handgrip. It boasts a 12.3MP Live MOS sensor, ISO 200–6400, a 3-inch 460K-dot LCD screen, and includes a quieter, lighter 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II MSC kit lens, alongside creative Art Filters like "Dramatic Tone". Pros include snappy performance, a robust feel, and a double-hinged flash to reduce redeye. Cons noted in the review include its chunkier size compared to competitors, high sensitivity on the rear scroll wheel, and the lack of a built-in viewfinder, necessitating an expensive external EVF.

The Olympus PEN E-PL2 is a compact 12-megapixel Micro Four Thirds camera featuring a redesigned, fast-autofocusing 14-42mm kit lens, a sharp 3.0-inch LCD screen, and effective built-in image stabilization. Pros include high-quality, detailed imagery at base ISO, a user-friendly design for beginners, and versatile, creative art filters. Conversely, the E-PL2 is limited by an inefficient 720p Motion JPEG movie format, the lack of an orientation sensor, and a small, easily misaligned rear control dial. While it offers great portability, its high-ISO performance trails behind larger APS-C competitors.

The Olympus PEN E-PL2 is a compact Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens camera built around a 12.3-megapixel sensor and bundled with a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 MSC kit lens. It improves upon its predecessor with a sharper 3-inch, 460k-resolution LCD screen, an upgraded control wheel for smoother navigation, and a wider ISO range spanning from 200 to 6400. For video, it offers full manual exposure adjustments alongside a much quieter, "silent" autofocus system, though its recording options are limited to an older 720p Motion JPEG AVI format at a fixed 30p frame rate. Additionally, the camera features a built-in pop-up flash with flexible manual power settings and supports a specialized Penpal Bluetooth adapter for mobile image sharing. The review highlights several distinct pros and cons regarding the camera's overall performance. On the positive side, pros include its highly effective noise reduction system, excellent flash coverage with manual intensity overrides, extensive manual controls in video mode, and a compact, comfortable grip design. Conversely, the cons focus on a noisy sensor at base settings, disappointing low-light video sensitivity (requiring 22 lux), and sluggish, sometimes...

However, the camera's primary drawback is its contrast-detect autofocus system, which is slow and inconsistent, particularly in dim indoor lighting where it can take up to two seconds to lock focus. Continuous autofocus (AF-C) and subject tracking also suffer significantly, causing the display to pulsate and struggle to keep moving subjects sharp. These autofocus limitations, combined with a slow 2-second shot-to-shot speed and a 1-second viewfinder blackout time, make the E-PL2 completely unsuitable for action and sports photography. Ergonomically, the camera's single control-dial is thin and awkwardly placed, requiring users to shift their grip, while the small, uniform rear buttons cannot be easily distinguished by touch alone. Finally, the camera suffers from minor operational quirks, such as inaccurate automatic white balance under artificial light, inconsistent color saturation between the live preview and instant review, and an exposure-priority display that resets back to the rear LCD every time playback mode is entered.

The Olympus PEN E-PL2 is a compact, mirrorless entry-level Micro Four Thirds camera designed for easy, creative image making with an intuitive interface and interactive Art Filters. Accompanied by 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses, it delivers sharp images and excellent color rendition suitable for beginner photographers. The camera stands out for its effective stabilization system for both stills and video, as well as a clever pantograph pop-up flash that reduces red-eye artifacts. Additionally, it features a clear 7.6cm LCD screen and supports external accessories like a Bluetooth transfer module and microphone. Despite these strengths, the E-PL2 has notable limitations, particularly its plastic body construction and inability to shoot Full HD video, maxing out at a resolution of 1280×720 pixels. Performance starts to show prominent digital noise once the user reaches ISO 1600, rendering the maximum ISO 6400 setting practically unusable. From an ergonomics standpoint, the video record button is poorly positioned, causing users to accidentally brush against it and interrupt stills photography. Furthermore, the rear LCD screen is fixed and lacks a swing-out mechanism, and capturing a still frame mid-movie will...

The Olympus PEN E-PL2 camera paired with the Lumix 14mm f/2.5 lens provides a highly portable, discreet, and lightweight setup that is ideal for spontaneous street photography. Reviewer Alex Coghe notes that despite being a retro model from 2011, the camera delivers an old-school, mechanical "film-like" shooting sensation and offers highly efficient battery consumption due to its lack of modern, power-draining features like Wi-Fi. The Lumix 14mm prime lens (a 28mm equivalent in 35mm format) serves as a major highlight, earning praise for its exceptionally quick autofocus performance, bright f/2.5 aperture for variable lighting conditions, and strong native 4:3 color rendering that outperforms some modern film simulations. However, the reviewer highlights several practical drawbacks to this aging system. Operating the camera in total manual or aperture priority modes frequently results in blurry street photos, requiring the user to rely heavily on shutter speed priority set to at least 1/500 second to effectively freeze motion. Furthermore, because the E-PL2 is an older body, it entirely lacks focus peaking functionality, which severely limits its usability with manual focus lenses. Coghe also points...