Olympus E-PL2 Review

4.5

January 26, 2011 | Mark Goldstein |

Buy a (12.3 Megapixel - 14 mm-42 mm - 6.9 cm 2.7" LCD - 3x Optical Zoom - 4032 x 3042 Image - 1280 x 720 Video - HDMI)

Buy a PEN E-PL1 12.3 Megapixel Mirrorless Camera Body with Lens Kit - 40 mm - 150 mm - Black (2.7" LCD - 3.8x Optical Zoom - Optical IS - 4032 x 3024 Image - 1280 x 720 Video - HDMI - PictBridge - HD Movie Mode)

Lowest Price: N/A

Specifications

Type
Body material	Aluminium / Plastic
Lens mount	Micro Four Thirds
Image Sensor
Type	4/3 '' Hi-Speed Live MOS sensor
Effective pixels	12.3 Megapixels
Filter array	Primary colour filter (RGB)
Aspect ratio & area	4:3 / 17.3 x 13.0 mm
Full resolution	13.1 Megapixels
Engine
Type	TruePic V
Filter
Dust reduction filter	Supersonic Wave Filter
Live View
Displayed information	Shooting information, 100% field of view, exposure adjustment preview, white balance adjustment preview, gradation setting preview (SAT), face detection preview, Perfect Shot Preview, gridline displayable, 7x/10x magnification possible, MF/S-AF, AF frame display, AF point display, Histogram
AF type	Contrast detection system
Image Stabiliser
Type	Sensor shift
Modes	Two-dimensional, vertical or horizontal activation
Effective Compensation Range	Up to 3 EV steps
Shutter speed range	2 - 1/4000 s (not available when Bulb is selected)
Focusing System
Method	Contrast Detection AF system (when non high-speed contrast AF compatible lens is used, it works as MF assist)
Focus areas	11 points / Automatic and manual selection 225 points / Manual selection in Magnified View Mode
AF lock	Yes , Locked by first position of shutter release button in single AF mode
Modes	Manual focus, Single AF, Continuous AF, Single AF + MF, AF Tracking
Exposure System
Modes	Programme automatic, Shutter priority, Aperture priority, Manual, i-Auto, Scene Modes, Movie
Exposure compensation	+/- 3 EV ( 1, 1/2, 1/3 steps )
Exposure bracketing	2 / 3 / 5 frames ( +/- 1/3, 2/3, 1 EV steps ) 7 frames ( +/- 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 EV steps )
Enhancement function	Shadow Adjustment Technology Face Detection Technology
Scene Modes
Number of scene modes	22
Modes	Portrait, e-Portrait, Landscape, Landscape with Portrait, Macro, Sports, Night Scene, Night Scene with portrait, Children, High key, Low key, Digital Image Stabilisation, Nature Macro, Candle, Sunset, Documents, Panorama, Fireworks, Beach and Snow, Fisheye converter, Macro converter, Wide converter
Multi-Exposure
Max. number of frames	2 frames (shooting)
Auto gain control	Yes
Frame assistance	Live View
Light Metering
Method	TTL open aperture light metering
Zones	324 zones Multi-pattern Sensing System
Detection range	0 - 20 EV (17mm f2.8, ISO 100) Digital ESP, centre-weighted average metering, spot metering
Modes	ESP light metering, Spot metering, Centre weighted metering, Highlight, Shadow
Art Filters
Pop Art
Soft Focus
Grainy Film
Pin Hole
Diorama
Dramatic Tone
Sensitivity
Auto	ISO 200 - 6400 (customisable, default ISO 200 - 1600)
Manual	ISO 200 - 6400 in 1/3 or 1 EV ISO steps
Shutter
Shutter type	Computerised focal-plane shutter
Self timer	12 s / 2 s
Anti Shock	Yes release delay:
Shutter Speeds
Shutter speed range	1/4000 - 60 s (in 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps)
Bulb mode	Up to 30 minutes (selectable longest time in the menu, default: 8 minutes)
Shutter speed P, Ps	1/4000 - 60 s
Shutter speed A priority	1/4000 - 60 s
Shutter speed S priority	1/4000 - 60 s
Shutter speed scene mode	1/4000 - 60 s
White Balance
AUTO WB system	Advanced detection system with Live MOS sensor
White balance bracketing	3 frames / +/- 2, 4, 6 mired steps
One-touch white balance	1 custom settings can be registered
White balance adjustment	+/- 7 in each A-B / G-M axis (in Auto WB, preset WB mode & one-touch WB)
Custom WB	1 setting can be registered at Kelvin temperature (2000K - 14000K)
Preset values	Tungsten, Flourescent 1, Flourescent 2, Flourescent 3, Sunlight, Flash, Overcast, Shade
Sequence Shooting
Speed (H)	Approx. 3 fps
RAW Mode	10 frames
JPEG Mode	Depends on compression ratio or number of pixels (Large normal mode: approx. 17 with Toshiba Super High Speed type "Class 6" 4GB)
Image Processing
Colour space	sRGB / AdobeRGB
Sharpness + Contrast	5 levels
Saturation	5 levels
Black & White filter	Yellow, Orange, Red, Green
Black & White toning	Sepia, Blue, Purple or Green in Black & White mode
Picture mode	i-Enhance, Vivid, Natural, Portrait, Muted, Monotone
Gradation	4 levels (auto, high key, normal, low key)
Internal Flash
Guide number	7 (ISO 100)
Type	pop-up
Modes	FP Manual, TTL-Auto, Off
External Flash Control
X-sync speed	1/180 s / 1/4000 s (Super FP Mode)
Type	TTL AUTO, AUTO, MANUAL, FP TTL AUTO, FP MANUAL
Modes	Auto, Red-eye reduction, Slow synchronisation with red-eye reduction, Slow synchronisation, 2nd curtain and slow synchronisation, Fill-in for exclusive flash, Manual
Intensity	+/- 3 EV ( 1, 1/2, 1/3 EV steps ) Note: Some functions are only available if they are supported by the external flash.
Built-in flash and wireless flash control from the camera body
Number of channels	4 channels
Compatible external flash	FL-50R, FL-36R
Control method	Triggered and controlled by built-in flash light
Modes	Auto, FP Manual, FP TTL Auto, Manual, TTL Auto, TTL Auto (TTL pre-flash mode)
Group setting	3 groups Available when used together with cameras compatible with the Olympus wireless RC flash system.
Monitor
LCD type	HyperCrystal LCD
Monitor size	7.6 cm / 3.0 '' (3:2)
Resolution	460000 dots
Brightness adjustment	+/- 7 levels
Colour balance	A-B: +/-7 levels, G-M: +/-7 levels
Super Control Panel
Displayed information	Battery indicator, Aperture value, Shutter speed, AE bracketing, AF frame, Focus mode, AEL notification, Face detection, Number of storable frames, Metering mode, Exposure mode, Exposure compensation indicatior, ISO, Colour space, Gradation, Colour saturation compensation value, Contrast compensation value, Sharpness compensation value, White balance, White balance compensation value, Noise reduction, Flash mode, Drive mode, Record mode, Memory card, Internal temperature warning, Histogram, Flash compensation value, My Mode
Recording Formats
RAW	12 bit
RAW & JPEG	Yes parallel recording
JPEG	Yes
Aspect ratio	4:3 / 3:2 / 16:9 / 6:6
Image Size
RAW	4032 x 3042 compressed / 14 MB / frame 4032 x 3042 Fine (compression: 1/4) / 5.9 MB / frame 4032 x 3042 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 2.7 MB / frame 2560 x 1920 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 1.1 MB / frame 1024 x 768 Normal (compression: 1/8) / 0.3 MB / frame
Still Image Recording
EXIF	2.2
PIM	III
DPOF	Yes
DCF	Yes
Movie Recording System
Recording format	AVI Motion JPEG®
Movie mode	HD 1280 x 720 (16:9) / SD 640 x 480 (4:3)
Frame rate	30 fps
Max. recording time	14 min (SD) / 7 min (HD)
Max. file size	2 GB
Compression ratio	1/12 (HD), 1/8 (SD)
Sensitivity	ISO 200 - 1600
Image Stabilisation Mode	Yes Digital Image Stabilisation
Sound Recording System
Internal microphone	Mono
External microphone	Optional
Recording format	Stereo PCM/16bit, 44.1kHz, Wave Format Base
Image footage	30 s
View Images
Modes	Index, Calendar, Zoom, Slide show, Movie
Index	Yes 4, 9, 16, 25, 49, 100 frames
Calendar	Yes
Zoom	Yes 2-14 x
Auto rotation	Yes
Histogram in playback mode	Yes
Shooting information	Off / On
Image protect mode	Yes
Erase / Protect / Copy Function
Erase modes	Single, All, Selected
Image protect mode	Single frame, Selected frames, All Frames, Release protect (Single/All selected)
Image Editing
RAW data edit	Yes
Red-eye reduction	Yes
Sepia	Yes
Black & White	Yes
Resize	Yes
Correction of saturation	Yes
Shadow Adjustment	Yes
Trimming	Yes
e-Portrait	Yes
Menu
Menu languages in camera	34 languages / 27 European languages (e.g. English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, Dutch, Danish, Polish)
Customisation Options
My Mode	2 settings available
Power Supply
Battery	BLS-5 Li-Ion battery (included)
Sleep mode	1, 3, 5, 10 min. and off selectable.
Live View shooting	Approx. 280 images (100% with Live View) (with 50% flash light)
Environment
Temperature	0 - 40 °C operating temperature / -20 - 60 °C storage temperature
Humidity	30 - 90 % operation humidity / 10 - 90 % storage humidity
Size
Dimensions (W x H x D)	115.4 x 72.7 x 42 mm (without protrusions)
Weight	317 g (body only)
Interface
Media	SD Memory Card (SDHC, SDXCcompatible) Class 6 is recommended for Movie shooting
Connection	Accessory Port 2
HDMI™	Yes Mini connector (type C) *
USB 2.0 High Speed	Yes
Combined V & USB output	Yes NTSC or PAL selectable * "HDMI", the HDMI logo and "High-Definition Multimedia Interface" are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.